


Forever & Always

by ElleRen31



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Happy Ending, Inspired by Ever After (1998), Multi, Reylo - Freeform, Romance, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:48:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23653342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElleRen31/pseuds/ElleRen31
Summary: A Star Wars Fairytale: Rey Palpatine has been forced into servitude after the untimely death of her father. Rey's stepmother, the Lady Ventress, is a cold and heartless woman who forces Rey to do countless chores and gardening, while she tries to marry off her own two daughters. Rey's life takes an unexpected turn when she meets the tall, dark, and handsome Prince Ben, the future King of Naboo.Written as part of The Writing Den's Anniversary Fic Exchange. Chosen prompt: Ever After AU: Ben is the reluctant heir apparent, and Rey is Cinderella.
Relationships: Leia Organa/Han Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 17
Kudos: 45
Collections: Anniversary Fic Exchange 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JGoose13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JGoose13/gifts).



For fidelisadmortem (JGoose13) : Your happily ever after awaits.....

~*~

A long time ago, in a kingdom far, far away - there was a charming château that overlooked a fine estate. The estate was surrounded by an orchard and sprawling fields of green, with a quaint gravel path that extended from the front doors of the château all the way down to the wrought iron gates.

Yes, the Palpatine estate certainly was a fine one in the kingdom of Naboo. It was currently owned by Searle Palpatine, the son of the late Lord Sheev Palpatine. Sheev had been a rich man who made his living by being an advisor to Naboo’s royal family. Despite the rumors that Sheev was behind the countless assassination attempts of the once Queen Padme Amidala, there was never any evidence to hold him accountable so, naturally, the Palpatines kept mostly to themselves. Just Lord Searle, his daughter Mireille and a handful of servants, living quietly in the countryside.

One fine day in the spring, the Palpatine estate was abuzz with activity. Lord Searle was returning from a visit to the neighboring Kingdom of Dathomir and everything had to be perfect for his return, as the Lord was bringing back some very special guests. Young Mireille, known amongst the house staff by her nickname Rey, was especially excited for the Lord’s arrival.

“Hold still child!” The house servant Larma D’Acy sternly demanded of Rey. “We must dress you properly for the Lord!”

“I can’t help it!” Rey whined, stamping her foot as Larma struggled to tie the sash of her dress as she continued to fidget. “I’m just can’t wait to see them!”

“Aren’t we all!” Larma agreed. “You get yourself a mother and two sisters, all in one day!”

Just then, a tiny old woman with wrinkled tan skin entered the room carrying a handful of fresh linens.  
“Your father deserves some happiness after all this time.” The woman commented as she bustled over to the bed, placing the linens down. “How lucky of him to find a woman willing to take on another mans child as her own.” 

“How do I look, Maz?” Rey asked the eldest house servant, twirling to show off her pale blue dress that complimented her hazel eyes, chocolate brown hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders. 

“You look beautiful Miss Rey.” Maz assured her

“Do you think they’ll like me?” Rey asked of Larma and Maz, turning her attention to the bedroom window that overlooked the front of the estate.

“They will. Just remember to be the good little girl that I know is in you underneath all that mischief!” Larma said as she moved to help Maz make the bed.

“And remember your table manners!” Maz chimed in as she smoothed out the wrinkles on the bed sheets. “We don’t need you scaring off your new family members by chewing on bones at dinner like an animal!”

“I promise!” Rey half-heartedly replies. A grin quickly splits across Rey’s face and she hurriedly opens her window, waving at someone below. “Finn! Finn! Up here!” She calls down.

A dark skinned boy in a faded shirt and pair of britches looks up where Rey is fervently waving. Finn, the son of the neighboring estates cook, has come to visit. He makes an unpleasant face, as if Rey’s attire is grotesque.

“What are you wearing???” Finn yells up at Rey.

“A dress!” Rey says, gesturing to her front.

“Dresses are for girls!” Finn protests from below.

Rey rolls her eyes. “I AM a girl, you half-wit!”

Finn frowns. “I know that! But today you actually look like one!”

“Girl or not, I can still whip you in a race around the courtyard!” Rey taunts.

“You’re on!” Finn replies, grinning up at her.

Rey races out of her room, ignoring the distressed cries of Larma and Maz for her to not ruin her dress.

Minutes later, Lord Searle’s carriage is coming up the gravel drive and pulling to a stop just outside of the château’s front doors. Charles Bacca, Maz’s husband and Lord Searle‘s larger than life manservant, steps forward from his position on the front steps and opens up the carriage door.

“Greetings master!” Charles says in his deep and gruff voice, bowing his head as Lord Searle exits the carriage. Larma and Maz issue their master a brief curtsy. Lord Searle nods his head to the house servants, his light brown hair shining in the sunlight with the motion. He turns his attention back to the carriage, extending his hand inside as to assist his new wife out of the carriage.

A tall and slender woman with a gaunt face, dark eyes, and graying blonde hair timidly steps out onto the gravel. She looks around for a moment before smiling at Searle. The smile does not reach her eyes.

“Oh my dear Searle… It’s….” The woman pauses, as if contemplating her choice of words. “Charming.” She forces out through clenched teeth.

Two young girls who seem to exactly around Rey’s age, are then helped from the carriage next. The taller of the two had light blonde hair and a tight face, like her mother. The shorter sister had straw colored hair and a rounder face.

“Where is my beloved daughter?” Lord Searle asks of his staff.

“Father! Here I am!” Rey calls as she comes careening around the corner of the house. Maz and Larma gasp at the sight of her. Her new dress is splattered with mud, the flecks of dirt on her face mingling with her freckles. Rey rushes up to her father and he lifts her up and swings her around, the two of them laughing happily. The Lords new wife watches the scene with a disappointing glare.

“My sweet Rey of sunshine!” Lord Searle exclaims. “You look just the same as when I left you, mud and all! Let me guess… Did Finn came by today?”

“Yes Father! And I beat him two laps out of three!”

Just then Finn stumbles around the corner out of breath, covered from head to toe in the same muck as Rey. Lord Searle chuckles. “So you did.“ The Lord says as he sets down Rey. He takes her by her shoulders and turns her to face her new mother and sisters.

“Well my dear, I had hoped to present to you a little Lady, but this will have to do.” The Lord clears his throat. “Mireille, may I present to you - Lady Ventress and her daughters Ilyana and Merrin.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Rey politely says, dipping into a curtsy to the Lady Ventress.

Lady Ventress steps forward, her dark eyes scrutinizing Rey. “Hello Mireille. At last we meet. Your father speaks of practically nothing else than his dear daughter.”

“You can call me Rey.” Rey blurts out to Lady Ventress. “Everyone else does.”

Lord Searle gives a light chuckle as Lady Ventress purses her lips disapprovingly. “Well then.” She says haughtily before turning briefly to her daughters. “Girls, say hello to your new stepsister.”

“Hello sister.” The girls say to Rey in unison while curtsying.

“Pleased to meet you.” Ilyana, the tallest sister says, in a tone that states she feels quite the opposite.

“Yes, nice to meet you.” Merrin echoes almost timidly. 

Rey politely curtseys back as she nervously smiles. Lord Searle gestures towards the house. “Come inside, ladies! I shall give you the grand tour of your new home!”

That evening at dinner Lord Searle announces that he must go away yet again, this time to Mustafar. “Don’t worry my dears, I will only be gone for a fortnight.” He assures the women.

“But you just got back!” Rey protests, banging her silverware clenched fists on the table. Lady Ventress and her daughters look over at her with shock.

“My dear Searle, you are husband now!” Lady Ventress coos, turning her attention away from Rey. “Surely you can postpone your departure.”

Lord Searle shakes his head. “Yes, I am a husband. But I am a father first and foremost! Therefore I must go to Mustafar for work so that I can continue to provide for my loving family!” He looks around the table and smile. “Besides, this just gives the four of you time to get to know each other better in my absence.”

“Hmm.” Lady Ventress sniffs, her eyes flicking back to Rey as she sulked very unladylike in her chair. “We shall see.”

The following morning, the household gathers outside the front doors to see Lord Searle off. Charles hefts a large saddlebag onto the back of Lord Searle’s sandy colored stallion, Jacque.

“My, what gloomy faces!” Lord Searle comments as he slides on his riding gloves. “Don’t you worry, I’ll be back in a week.”

“Then go now.” Lady Ventress says to him, taking a few steps forward. “The sooner you leave, the sooner we can celebrate your return.” She leans in and gives her new husband a lingering kiss on the mouth. Behind them on the steps Rey grimaces, sticking her tongue out in disgust. Her two step sisters merely frown at the sight.

“Goodbye my dears!” Lord Searle says as he hefts himself up on Jacque.

“Safe travels master!” Charles answers with a bow. The other members of the staff curtsy.

As Searle and Jacque begin to ride away, Lady Ventress clears her throat. “Back inside girls, it’s about time we start our studies.”

“We can’t!” Rey protests again. Lady Ventress’ eyes narrow at her.

“And why not?” She snaps.

“He always waves at the gate! It’s tradition!” Rey scurries down the front steps for a better view of her father. Jacque pauses at the gates and Rey waits for her father to turn and look back at her. But he does not. From down the path, Rey can hear her father begin to cough. At first the coughs are light, but they quickly become louder and harder, and Rey gasps as her father slides off his horse and onto the ground.

“Father!” Rey cries as she runs forward, soon followed by Charles and Lady Ventress. Rey reaches him first. Lord Searle is struggling to breathe, a fist clutched to his chest. His lips are turning blue. “Father? Father!” Rey cries. Lord Searle weakly lifts a hand to press to Rey’s cheek as Lady Ventress arrives beside her.

“Searle! My dear! What’s wrong?” Lady Ventress asks, distressed as she gingerly kneels on the ground.

Lord Searle glances at his wife briefly before turning his gaze back towards his daughter. His thumb strokes away one of Rey’s tears before his hand falls away and his eyes slide shut.

“No! You cannot leave me here!” Lady Ventress shouts at him.

“Father! FATHER!” Rey screams, burying her face in his still chest, gripping at his traveling coat with her fists.

“Come child.” Charles says softly to her, placing his large hands on Rey’s shoulders. “He has passed.”

“NO!” Rey says, shrugging Charles’ hands off her. After losing her mother when she was just a babe, her father had been all she had left in this world. Rey continued to cry, mourning the loss of her beloved father as the others solemnly watched. Little did she know that from that day on, how different everything would be.

~*~

Ten Years Later

~*~

Night has fallen over Theed, the capital of Naboo.

The royal palace is mostly quiet, save for the private quarters of the Queen and King. This was an intense time for the royals. Prince Ben, the only son of Queen Leia and King Han, was causing his parents much grief. He was approaching the age of thirty and had yet to be married, something unheard of for a royal of his stature. Naboo was traditionally a Matriarch kingdom, but as she had no daughter of her own, Queen Leia’s son was due to inherit the throne instead, making it imperative that he marry before ascending.

Despite all the ladies, empresses, princesses, and even some baronesses that the Prince had been introduced too, none of them seemed to interest him. To make matters worse, hardly any of the women were interested in _him_ , either!

It wasn’t that the Prince wasn’t handsome. He had inherited his father’s tall build and his mother’s deep brown eyes. His wavy black hair put even the manes of the palace horses to shame. His elongated face was ivory pale and dotted with beauty marks that helped accentuate his unique features of a long nose and plush lips. He was broad shouldered and muscled from many years of training among the palace knights. His bride certainly would be a lucky lady.

But it wasn’t his looks that was the problem. Ben had an awful attitude and an often times cold and cruel manner in which he addressed others. Leia had hoped his years away at boarding school would have helped curb his tantrums, but once he returned they just seemed worse All of the palace staff had been witness to several outbursts of his, including those he had well past his youth. The vases he shattered kept the cleaning staff busy, and the objects always seemed to be replaced within a few days time, only for them to fall victim again the next time the Prince was angered. The Queen had grown weary of his antics, unable to control his growing rage. With a country to run, her focus was that of her people, and her son was left to suffer. And now, she was left to deal with the consequences.

Tonight, the Queen and King are at their wits ends. The latest in a string of potential royal brides had fled the palace earlier in the evening, yelling through her tears in her native tongue. The Queen’s advisor was barely able to translate the exact reason why she left. One thing was clear though, the culprit was Ben.

“I believe she said he’s colder than her Kingdom, your majesty.” Sir Threepio had told the Queen as they watched Princess Edelgard of Hoth and her entourage hastily leave the Palace of Theed in their grand snow white carriages.

“I’ve had enough!” Leia angrily states as she paces the length of her quarters in a red, silk night robe. “I don’t wish to force our son into a marriage treaty, but by Gods I will if he can’t SHAPE UP!” She sits down hard at her vanity and begins to forcefully brush her hair, venting her frustration with each stroke through her graying, brown locks.

“You know even then he wouldn’t accept it.” Han tells his wife, gently walking up behind her and placing a steady hand on her shoulder. The Queens sags beneath his touch and hangs her head.

“I want him to marry for love, as I did.” The Queen whispers, setting down her brush and reaching her hand across her chest to place it over her husbands hand. “We’re running out of time.”

“You know what he needs?” The King grumbles. “A good whipping.”

Leia scoffs at the King’s poor joke and brushes his hand off her shoulder. “He must accept his responsibilities as the future king. He has been living in the shadows for too long. As my mother Padme used to say, ‘a sapling can’t grow in the shadow of the mighty oak, it needs sunlight’.” She looks over her shoulder at her husband, her eyes brimming with the beginnings of tears. “I want our son to find his sunlight.”

“He will.” Han gently assures his wife. “In the morning I shall go and speak with him.”

The Queen shakes her head. “No, this cannot wait. We’ve let this go on long enough.” She stands up, holding her head high. “We will go and speak with him at once. If I won’t be able to sleep tonight, then neither will he!”

The Queen and King make their way down the winding stone halls of the palace towards the Prince’s quarters. The Prince’s guard, Captain Poe Dameron, salutes the approaching royalty from his position outside of Ben’s room.

“Good evening your majesties. The Prince has already gone to bed.” The Captain states with a polite bow of his head.

“Wake him up at once.” The Queen orders. “We must speak with our son.”

“As you wish.” Captain Dameron says, nodding his head again before turning and knocking on the large wooden door. “Your highness? Your parents are here to speak with you.”

There is no response from behind the door.

The Queen pushes herself very un-Queen like in front of Captain Dameron and knocks harshly on the door. “Benjamin Organa Solo, you open up this door right now by command of the Queen and your mother!”

Still no response.

The Queen pushes on the door and nearly stumbles in as it swings open. The Prince’s room is in disarray. There are books thrown about the floor and nearly all the candlesticks have been knocked over, the candles broken and wax spilt. The pages of the books rustle in the breeze that flows in through the open window. The same wind flutters the curtains and the long chain of bed sheets that was hastily tied together in a makeshift rope that extends from the bedpost of Ben’s bed and out the window and down to the grounds. The Queen and King rush to the open window and look down, confirming what they already know.

“The Prince has run away!” Leia cries out.

“Not again…” Han bemoans.

“Call out the guards!” Leia demands. “Bring him back this instant!”

Outside, a horse as black as coal cuts across the palace grounds with thunderous hooves. The horse’s rider calls out for the horse to run faster, and they gallop through the opened palace gates and out into the night.

~*~

Back at the Palpatine estate, a young woman rouses awake atop of modest straw mattress. It is Rey, having grown up into a beautiful lady. But gone are the lavish furnishings of her childhood bedroom. She now resides in the homely attic of the château. There are etchings along the walls, tally marks that symbolize each day that has passed since her fathers untimely and mysterious death. There seem to be too many to count.

Rey stretches and yawns as she sits up, her dark brown hair a gangly mess with pieces of straw sticking to it from her mattress. She reaches under the mattress, producing the broken prong of gardening trowel and uses it to scrape one more tally along the wall behind her. She gets up, careful to duck her head as to not hit it against the low ceiling. She shimmies out of her nightgown, yellowed and fraying with age, and she dresses in a simple light brown dress and brushes the straw from her hair, leaving it long and resting at her shoulders. She makes sure to tie a long apron over the front of her dress. She will need it today, after all. If the apples aren’t picked off the ground from the orchard, they will go rotten, and Lady Ventress will _not_ be happy.

Then again, she was never happy with Rey.

Since her father’s death, the château has fallen into disrepair. Lady Ventress was unequipped to run such a large estate and therefore ran the family into debt with her insistence on continuing to live a lavish lifestyle with barely any income. Most of Rey’s possessions were sold, as was some of the land. What little orchard they had left was failing, the trees producing less and less over the years. And just last week,  
as if her stepmother couldn’t be more cruel, Lady Ventress sold Charles, her father’s faithful man servant, to cover some of her debts.

It was just Rey, Larma, and Maz left to care for the household now. Maz was confined to the kitchens most of the time, as her hands had become too brittle and old for laundry. Larma took care of the washing and the housecleaning. Being as young as she was, Rey was the one who did most of the gardening and the care for the orchard. When she did see her stepsisters, they always laughed at her, teasing her of how dirty she was from digging in the dirt all day. They called her ‘scavenger’, because that’s what she was to them. 

“Scavenging like a hog in the forest for truffles!” Ilyana would say, followed by a high pitched evil laugh.

Ilyana was sometimes even worse than her mother. When she first came of age, she demanded she should no longer have to share a room with her younger sister, Merrin. And with no one to speak up for her but herself, Rey was evicted from her own bedroom and moved to the only available room in the house, the attic. She resented it at first, but she had grown to like the isolation. No one bothered her up there. It was small, but it was hers. Rey crept down the stairs from the attic, careful not to step on any of the rotting planks, and careful not to wake her stepmother and stepsisters. It was just barely dawn and the rooster had yet to crow. She passed through the house to the kitchens where she grabbed a large woven basket and headed out into the yard.

Rey had collected nearly a full bushel of apples when she heard it - the unmistakable fierce whinny of Jacque, her fathers horse. Jacque came barreling from behind the house where the stables were kept, but he was not alone. He was being ridden by figure cloaked in a black hood and cape. Jacque’s eyes were wild with fear and Rey had to roll out of the way where she was knelt in the dirt to avoid being trampled.

“Come on, beast! Hyah!” The mystery rider shouts to the horse.

“HEY!” Rey shouts, scrambling to her feet. “STOP!!! THEIF!!!” Rey yells. She hurriedly stoops to pick up some rotten apples as she chases after Jacque, reeling back her arm and sending the fruit flying.  
“You monster!” She yells as she continues to collect and throw apples. “You snake!”

An apple finally connects right at the back of the riders head, distracting them long enough for Jacque to rear up and toss them off. The rider expertly rolls out of the way of Jacque’s powerful dancing hooves and Rey runs up to grab Jacque by his bridle to calm him.

“How DARE you!” Rey shouts at the figure crumpled on the ground, their black cloak dripping with remnants of rotten apple.

“Please…” Came a deep yet muffled voice from beneath the cloak. “My own horse slipped their shoe, I - I had no choice.”

“You STOLE my fathers horse!” Rey yells. She lets go of Jacque’s harness to gather more apples. “Get out of here!” She tosses apple after apple at the cloaked figure as they stand up. “Get out before I wake the whole house, you scruff-”

The insult dies on Rey’s tongue as the figures hood gives way, revealing a dark haired man with subtle facial hair wearing a black doublet that bore the gold insignia of the royal family of Naboo upon it. Rey immediately drops to her knees in the mud, flinging herself forward in a groveling position.

“Forgive me, your highness! I did not know it was you!” Rey apologizes, squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment and shame. She had really done it now! If the royal family doesn’t execute her for this, surely Lady Ventress would!

“Are you sure about that?”

The Prince’s tone suggests he is amused. Rey hesitantly peeks up from the ground.

“Your… Your highness?” Rey asks, confused.

“Your aim was quite precise.” The Prince continues, slipping off his glove and using it to brush the soggy apple from his cloak. “You’re not the only young woman to have thrown something at me, but the first to connect. Makes me wonder if you knew who I was along, with such intent to harm.” He peers down at her with warm, brown eyes. 

Rey stares back up at him through thick lashes. He did not seem angry. It could have just been a trick of the rising sunlight, but she swore he was smirking. She blinks rapidly. “Never, your highness.” She says, bowing her head again. “Please… Make my punishment swift. I know that for this I must die.”

The Prince shifts his feet, almost awkwardly. He clears his throat. “Speak of this to no one, and I will be lenient.” He declares, sounding every bit the royal he was. “Now, on your feet.” Rey rises from the ground, mud splattered all down her front. It was as if she had been racing with Finn again. The Prince looks her over briefly while Rey fidgets with the folds of her skirt. “I am still in need of a horse, but you have my word that I shall bring him back unharmed. In the meantime…” The Prince reaches into his cloak and pulls out a velvet bag that jingles with the sound riches. He tosses it to her and Rey expertly catches it with her hands. “For your silence.”

Rey stands there silently, cradling the bag of coin gently in her palms as she watches the Prince approach Jacque. He calms the horse with a touch of his hand, gently stroking Jacque’s neck before mounting and quickly kicking him into a canter. Rey watches them ride away into the depths of the surrounding orchard until she can’t see them anymore before she races back to the house.

~*~

Author’s Note: For anyone wondering (without going into detail to avoid spoilers) Merrin and Ilyana are mentioned in the video game Jedi: The Fallen Order. They are not original characters. 


	2. Chapter 2

~*~

Lady Ventress is seated at the head of the dining room table awaiting her breakfast. Her now silver hair is slicked back tight against her head. Ilyana sits primly beside her in a dress corseted so tight it’s a wonder how she can breathe, let alone eat in it. Merrin sits next to Ilyana, every bit her sisters shadow as she was when she was younger. Lady Ventress drums her delicate fingers on the top of the table, irritated at Larma’s slowness as the meal is served.

Ilyana frowns at the plate Larma has placed in front of her. “I said I wanted four minute eggs! Not four one minute eggs! And in Gods name, where is our bread?” She whines pathetically.

“The bread is coming out of the oven, my lady.” Larma assures her, bowing her head apologetically.

“Ilyana, my precious, remember your tone!” Lady Ventress speaks up, shooting her eldest daughter a firm look.

“I know!” Merrin says eagerly, sitting up in her chair. “That a lady of breeding should never raise her voice any louder than the gentle hum of a whispering wind.”

“Merrin, dear, remember not to speak unless you can improve the silence.” Lady Ventress scolds. Merrin deflates in her seat.

Ilyana just scoffs. “I was not _shrill_. I was resonate. Any suitable courtier would know the difference.”

It is Lady Ventress’s turn to scoff. “I doubt your style of resonance would be suitable in a royal court.”

Ilyana slams down her silverware in a huff, crossing her arms across her chest, straining the fabric. “Well, I certainly won’t be going to the royal court, am I mother? No one is! Not with _that_ horrible prince as the next in line.”

Lady Ventress leans back in her high backed chair. “Precious, nothing is ever final until you’re dead. And even then, I’m sure the Gods could intervene.” She reaches for her silverware and glances over the table briefly. “Where is the salt? MIREILLE!!!” She yells.

In the kitchens, Larma and Maz’s heads snap up at the sound of the Lady Ventress calling for Rey. They are helping Rey wipe the mud from her skirts as Rey pulls her hair up and out of her face into three vertical buns.

“I’m coming!” Rey calls through the kitchen door as Maz fastens a fresh apron around her waist.

“The Lady is in one of her moods again.” Larma whispers to Rey as a wet cloth is rubbed over her face, removing any flecks of remaining mud.

“It it hot in Tatooine?” Maz grumbles in an offhanded comment. “The Lady is _always_ in one of her moods.”

“Foul mood or not, today is a wonderful day.” Rey says, reaching into her skirt pocket and revealing to the women the velvet bag of coins given to her by the Prince. She turns the bag over and spills the coins out onto the cutting board. Larma and Maz audibly gasp. Larma issues the sign of the cross.

“So many credits!” Maz murmurs, running a wrinkled hand over the pile. “Where did you get this?”

“From a fallen angel.” Rey says, finishing up with her last bun. “And I know just what to do with them.”

Maz places a hand over her heart, her large eyes filling with tears. “Charles?”

Rey nods. “If Lady Ventress can sell your husband to pay her debts, then this is surely enough to offset the cost and bring him home instead. The court will have to let him go if paid!”

“Surely the Mandalorians have shipped him overseas by now!” Maz says sadly, shaking her head. Rey placed her hands on the short woman’s shoulders.

“This is still my home.” She says firmly. “I will not let it fall apart.”

“We are WAITING!” Lady Ventress calls again from the dining room.

Larma hands Rey the platter of fresh bread and scoops the coins back into their bag, depositing them into Rey’s skirt pocket once more.

“Take heed Rey.” Larma warns. “Or these credits are as good as hers.”

Rey enters the dining room with the bread and a kettle of tea. “Good morning. My Lady, Ilyana, Merrin.” Rey greets her family stiffly as she places the bread in the center of the table before turning to pour everyone a drink.

“Good morning!” Merrin replies, the only one to do so. Ilyana shoots her sister a dirty look and Merrin shrinks back in respsonse.

“I trust you all slept well.” Rey says as she fills Lady Ventress’s cup with the steaming brew.

“What kept you?” Lady Ventress demands of her lateness.

“Oh! I um… I tripped in the mud outside while gathering apples.” It was at least half of the truth.

“Playing in the mud like a pig, were you?” Iylana barks a laugh. “Just like the scavenger you are.”

Rey frowns at the insult and Merrin looks ashamed of her sisters ugly behavior. Lady Ventress ignores the remark.

“Mireille, now that Charles is gone you will need to help pick up some of the slack of the household staff.” She condescendingly pats at Rey’s hand. “I’m sure you understand.”

Rey thinks she has a chance to convince Lady Ventress that retrieving Charles is the right thing to do, so she takes it. “Perhaps if Charles _were_ here, the both of us could have the estate back in working order.”

Lady Ventress waves her hand, brushing Rey off. “There is no reason that you cannot take on these extra responsibilities, Mireille.” She says. “I have sheltered you. Clothed you. Cared for you. The least you could do is show appreciation for all I have done for you by helping out with no complaints. Is that such an extraordinary request?”

Rey hangs her head as Lady Ventress’s eyes narrow at her. “No, my Lady.” She solemnly answers.

“Very well then.” Lady Ventress says, raising her teacup to her lips. “We shall have no more talk of servants, understood?”

“Yes, my Lady.” Rey says, minutely curtsying to her stepmother before hurrying from the room.

~*~

Prince Ben still rides through the depths of the Endor Forest. The horse slows, having tired from their journey. He leans down slightly and pats at the horses’ neck. “We’re almost there.” He assures the animal in a deep yet soothing voice. The horse snorts as if he understands, still plodding along the mossy terrain.

Sunlight peers through the branches above them, gradually increasing as the trees thin and the moss underfoot turns to stone and sand. They are trotting alongside the banks of a grand river now. Birds soar and call overhead as the Prince spots his destination in the distance, a small hut built with rocks that sits beside a modest waterfall that flows into a crystal clear pond.

Ben dismounts the horse and walks up to the pond. He kneels down and detaches a leather flask from his hip, lowering it into the cool water and allowing the satchel to fill so that he may drink. The gray catfish that make the pond their home glare up at him through the water with their beady eyes. The horse noisily drinks besides him.

“Run away again, have we?” Calls a rough voice. Ben doesn’t look up, unsurprised by the intrusion. The Prince just sighs as he lifts the flask from the water as he stands. He turns towards the hut where a bearded man in brown monk robes casually leans in the doorway, his blue eyes tired and sad. “New horse?” The man asks, nodding towards the horse.

“Borrowed it.” The Prince shrugs before pausing to take a long drink from the flask.

“Mmm. Of course you did.” The man says, stepping away from the doorway of the hut. He begins to putter around a circle of stones nearby as he prepares a small cooking fire. “You can’t keep doing this Benjamin.” The man scolds.

“I know Uncle Luke.” Ben says as he approaches the man. “I’m just… So tired of this life. Everything that’s expected of me. I …” He trails off as he takes a seat on a log stool, his shoulders slumping. The only thing royal about him now are his clothes.

“Well, since you’re here- ” Luke says, handing the Prince a blackened cooking pot. “- You can help with breakfast while you tell me what’s bothering you.”

~*~

Later that morning, the Lady Ventress and her daughters travel to the palace market to spend more of what little money they have left, leaving Rey and the rest of the estate staff to their own devices.

Rey has snuck into her old childhood bedroom to borrow one of Ilyana’s gowns. Particularly one she hardly wears and would not miss while it was in with the laundry. Finn has arrived from the neighboring estate, now a fine young man having been trained as a blacksmith by his Masters estate. He paces the room as Rey changes behind a changing screen.

“Have you lost your mind, Rey?” Finn asks, gesturing his hands wildly even though Rey can not see. “Do you know how they punish servants who dress above their stations? Five days in the stocks, Rey! FIVE!”

“If you were me-” Rey says, grunting as she dresses. “You’d do the same thing. Admit it.”

Finn balks at her. “Me? Pretend to be a courtier? I’d _never_ prance around like some noble gentleman. I’ve never been to a royal court, and neither have you!”

“And that’s why no one will recognize me.” Rey says assuredly. A bare arm extends from behind the screen. “Hand me that gown, will you?”

Finn obliges and passes her a gray dress. “They’ll never buy it. You’re the least ladylike lady I’ve ever met.”

“I’ve been witness to my sisters cotillion lessons, I’ll blend in just fine.” Rey says, her voice briefly muffled as she slips the dress overhead. “Besides, a servant carrying that many credits is too suspicious. This is the only way to get Charles back.”

“Will you be back before they return?” Finn worries aloud.

“They’re shopping for broaches. They’ll be gone for _hours_.” Rey drawls. “It’s unbelievable how Lady Ventress completely ignores the estate, blames the staff for her debts, and pretends to be as rich as the Hutts, spending money on frivolous things such as broaches.” She pauses. “Alright, I’m coming out.” She says.

Rey steps out from behind the screen, looking like a completely different person. The gray dress has long sleeves that billow out at the shoulders and at the wrists, cinched in at the biceps by silver ribbons. A velvety black front extends up her torso to her neck, ending in a high collar. There is decorative beading on top of the velvet front, but not too flashy as to draw unwanted attention. Her hair is slicked into double buns on either side of her head and she wears a thin, silver headpiece that rests on her forehead. Finn’s mouth hangs open and he flounders, speechless.

“I look ugly, don’t I?” Rey asks, sadly looking down at herself.

Finn snaps his mouth shut and fervently shakes his head. “You look every part the noble woman you are claiming to be.” He raised her dipped chin with his hand and gives her a reassuring smile. “Now you must play the part. You look down to no one. Now off with you!” He begins pushing her out of the bedroom. “Hurry and go before they get back!”

~*~

“And another thing -” Ben complains to his Uncle while he paces in front of the cooking fire. “All she can talk about these days is when am I getting married? Her title depends on it! Every day there seems to be a new girl at the palace she wants to introduce me to and they’re all spoiled rotten brats who don’t even know the difference between Sabacc and a Sarlacc. She has no regards for my feelings on the matter at all.” Ben sits back down on the stool in a huff next to his patient Uncle. “Sometimes I wish I could be more like you, Uncle Luke.”

Luke frowns and places a comforting hand on Ben’s shoulder, shaking his head sadly. “I wouldn’t wish that for you.” He says. “Even though your mother and I are twins, you need to remember that we were raised very differently from each other.” Luke looks off across the water pensively before continuing.

“From the moment I was born, Naboo was never going to be mine. My own mother sent me away to live with Master Yoda so that she could focus on raising my sister as the future Queen. She was only doing what had been done for generations with male heirs who couldn’t inherit, but that didn’t mean she didn’t love me. For a time that was hard to believe and I was very angry with her, much like how you were angry when your mother sent you to that fancy school. But as I grew older I understood just how difficult that decision had to have been for her. Following after our mother’s untimely death, your mother vowed to make changes for the better. She married a commoner! And you Benjamin, will be the first official King of Naboo! Your mother fought for you to have this opportunity, she does not want to see her hard work squandered away because you would rather train with swords than court a lady.”

Ben frowns deeply at all of this. His Uncle does have a point. 

“Besides… Look at me! The exiled brother of the Queen, living in a forest, far away from society.” Luke says as he gestures to the span of nature around them. “You don’t want this life.”

“But you’re not exiled, Uncle.” Ben protests. “You could live in the palace with us and-”

“And be just as miserable as you?” Luke quips. Ben frowns again and Luke gives his nephew an encouraging smile. “That life was never meant for me. I’m fine where I am and will be, as long as you still find time to visit me, that is.”

“Over here! I’ve found him!”

Members of the Royal Guard suddenly gallop out of the woods, the gold of their armor glinting in the sunlight as the ride towards the two men. Ben stands up as Captain Dameron dismounts and approaches him, a familiar sleek black horse trailing him. 

“Your highness! We found Kylo tied to a tree in the woods. Are you all right?” The Captain asks.

“I’m fine.” Ben says, reaching out to pet his black stallion. Kylo sniffs at his hand and snorts, offended that Ben smells of another horse.

“The Queen is quite upset. We must be getting you back to the palace at once.” The Captain informs Ben. Ben nods in understanding.

“But first we must return this horse to his owner.” Ben says, indicating the tan stallion grazing at the rivers edge. “I promised his return when I borrowed him after Kylo lost a shoe.”

“As you wish your highness.” Captain Dameron says, bowing his head. “Lord Skywalker.” He adds, nodding towards Luke.

“Stay out of trouble.” Luke says to Ben, nodding a farewell to him.

“I’ll try.” Ben supplies as he mounts Kylo.

“Do, or do not. There is no try.” His Uncle tells him with a knowing smile, watching wistfully as the Prince and his guard ride off.

~*~

Lady Ventress and her daughters have arrived home early from the market while Rey has yet to return. Thankfully her disappearance is presently overlooked with Ilyana and Merrin having been distracted by todays purchases.

“This new broach is far superior to any of my old ones.” Ilyana says as she places today's purchase into a wooden jewelry box on her bedside table. “I doubt I shall wear any of them ever again!”

“If you’re not going to wear them, then I’ll have them.” Merrin says, making a grab for the box. 

Ilyana slams her hand down on the box so that Merrin is unable to lift the lid. “In that case, I think I’ll keep them.” She says haughtily.

“But you just said you didn’t want them! Your stuff has always been nicer than mine!”

“That’s because I have taste and you don’t!”

“I do have taste! Give them to me!”

“Stop it! You can’t have them! Mother!”

“MOTHER!!!”

“For Gods sakes, what is that awful noise?” Lady Ventress exclaims and her daughters fall silent. The sound of several hooves crunching along the gravel drive draw their attention to the window. Lady Ventress gasps and places a hand on her chest. “It is the Royal Guard!” She announces to them.

“Is that the Prince?!?” Ilyana chimes in, shoving herself next to her mother, straining her neck to see.

“Let me see!” Merrin whines, struggling to see out the window.

“What do you think he wants?” Ilyana asks her mother. Lady Ventress gasps again.

“Perhaps he is extending his search for a bride!” The girls squeal with delight, even though Ilyana had just called the Prince ‘horrible’ this very morning. “I’ll take care of this.” Lady Ventress says to her daughters. “Quick! Make yourselves presentable!”

The Prince walks up to the front doors, his jaw clenched tight and lips pursed. He wished he could be anywhere but here right now, a foul reminder of his mornings events, but he had promised the girl he would return her fathers horse. The beast obviously meant a lot to her, and yet there was something else about her that nagged at him in the back of his mind. He knocks briskly with the iron door handle and is shocked to see the door open almost instantaneously.

“Your highness!” Says a thin older woman in a rather over the top dress, one made for a gala rather than for home life. The woman curtseys to him. “What a lovely surprise! To what do we owe the great honor of your presence?”

Ben is momentarily disappointed that the servant from before did not answer the door. He quickly composes himself and squares his shoulders. “Good afternoon. I am here to return your horse, Lady…” He trails off, not knowing how to address her.

“Lady Ventress, of the Palpatine estate.” Lady Ventress quickly supplies. Ben’s brow furrows.

“Palpatine… As in Sheev Palpatine?”

“Searle Palpatine, your highness. I believe Sheev was my late husbands father. You say you have Jacque? Did he manage to escape?” Lady Ventress quickly brushes off the Prince’s inquiry about her husbands family.

“Ah, not exactly.” Ben says, looking behind him where Captain Dameron stands holding Jacque’s lead. “I took the liberty in borrowing him this morning for some…. Official palace business. I gave one of your staff quite the fright in the process, a young lady to be exact, and I would like to apologize.”

The look that crosses Lady Ventress’s face is fleeting, but Ben manages to notice. “A young lady? No your highness, we have no young servants on staff here.”

“Really?” Ben asks, unsure of her answer.

“Perhaps you are mistaken. I do have two beautiful daughters!” As if on cue, Ilyana and Merrin show up behind Lady Ventress in a flurry of elegant skirts. Ilyana in particular is arching her back and thrusting her chest forward, her breasts obscenely threatening to pop from her corseted top.

“Your highness.” Ilyana and Merrin say in unison, dipping low into their best curtseys.

Ben glances at the girls, noting the sisters are both blonde. “Yes, a mistake indeed. The girl I spoke to was a brunette.”

“Oh! You must mean Mireille!” Merrin pipes up. Lady Ventress and Ilyana turn to Merrin and each give her looks that could turn one to stone.

“Mireille.” Ben murmurs, the name tingling on his tongue.

“Oh! Yes! Mireille! Well, she is not staff , you see.” Lady Ventress is expertly digging her way out of her lie to the Prince. “She is my step-daughter. And _these_ -” Lady Ventress ushers her daughters forward towards the doorway. “- are my own daughters, Ilyana and Merrin. Aren’t they lovely?”

“Quite.” Ben replies through gritted teeth. He’s seen the looks the girls are giving him enough to know where this is headed. He needs to get out of here and fast. Thankfully Captain Dameron clears his throat from behind him. “Yes. Well. As you can imagine I am _very_ busy with my royal duties. I must return to them. So ah… Thank you again, for letting me borrow your horse. I bid you farewell.” He turns quickly on his heel to leave.

“We look forward to the day that you celebrate your engagement, your highness.” One of the daughters calls after him. He turns back. It is the tallest sister, Ilyana. “With whomever it may be.” She flutters her eyelashes at him.

Captain Dameron hands him the reigns to Kylo and he swiftly mounts him, nodding his head politely to the three women gathered in the doorway. “Good day ladies.”

~*~

Theed is quite larger than Rey imagined. Her feet ached from walking and the heaviness of her borrowed gown did not help either. A great stone bridge leads up to the palace’s circular courtyard, the green domed roofs of the palace glinting in the afternoon sun in the background. The bridge is bustling with merchants and townsfolk.

“Make way for the lady!” A guard shouts as Rey approaches them. She glances around quickly before realizing the guards mean _her_. She demurely nods to the guard as holds her chin high and steady as she crosses the bridge into the courtyard.

Once inside she searches in the direction of the port. If Maz believes the Mandalorians will be shipping Charles overseas, then that is her best chance at finding him. A horse and cart rumbles past her as she looks around. The cart is carrying several men in tattered clothes and chains inside an makeshift cell. She spies the long shaggy hair and beard of a man in the cart as it rumbles away. It _has_ to be Charles!

“Stop!” Rey calls after the driver. She hurries forward and nearly trips over the hem of her skirts. She grumbles, frustrated as she grasps handfuls of her skirt, lifting them from the ground as she chases down the cart. She runs as fast she can to get ahead of the cart, her feet screaming in pain. She flings herself in front of the cart. “I said stop!” 

The driver is forced to pull on the reigns to stop from crashing into her. The horse whinnies shrilly as his hooves dig into the dirt and the cart violently shudders to a stop inches from her. “What the hell is your problem, woman?” The driver shouts at her. The men gathered inside the cell huddle around the bars to see what is going on.

“Rey?” Charles gruffly asks, his old eyes squinting at her. Rey marches up to the driver in his seat and pulls the bag of coin from her pocket.

“I am here to address the issue of this gentleman here.” Rey says confidently, her head held high as she points at Charles through the bars of the cell. “He is my servant and I am here to pay the debt against him.”

The driver barks a laugh. “You’re too late. He’s been bought and paid for by the Mandalorians. You can’t buy him back now. This is the way.”

Rey bites her lip as she quickly contemplates her options before proceeding to hold the bag of coin out towards the man. “I can pay you twenty gold credits.” She says, offering the entire contents of the bag in exchange.

The driver scoffs. “You can’t even afford _me_ for twenty credits! This man is Mandalorian property now!”

“He’s not anyone’s property!” Rey protests, her voice wavering. “He is a _person_! It’s not right to chain people like this! I have the payment for his debts right here, so I demand that you release him!” 

“I don’t have time for this.” The driver grunts. “Get out of my way now!” He shouts.

“You dare raise your voice to a lady?”

Rey jumps at the interruption. A fine black horse saunters up beside her and she looks over to see the Prince and several of his guards, having just arrived back at the palace. She quickly looks away, turning her head away from him in the hopes that he does not recognize her from this morning. Her face burns red.

“Your highness!” The driver exclaims, surprised. “I uh… Forgive me, your highness. I meant no disrespect! Just following my orders is all! On my way to the ports to ship these criminals overseas.”

Rey can not hold her tongue. “My servant is not a criminal! I have his debts and I am here to pay!” The driver glares at her.

Ben looks between the flustered lady and the cart driver. “Is this true?” He asks of the driver.

“Well… You see your highness… The Mandalorians-”

“If the lady has the payment, the Mandalorians are bound to accept it.” The Prince interrupts the driver. “Release him.”

“But your highness!” The driver protests.

“I said… Release him.” The Prince growls, the leather of his gloves squeaking as he clenches his fists around the reigns of his horse.

“Yes, your highness. Right away, your highness.” The driver says, scrambling out of his seat and around to the back of the cart where he proceeds to unlock the padlock and usher Charles out of the cell. Rey all but shoves the bag of coin at the driver once the shackles have been removed from Charles’ wrists.

“Thank you, my lady.” Charles grumbles to Rey, his old and weary hands shaking to wipe the tears from his eyes.

“Meet me at the bridge.” Rey whispers to Charles. “My business here is concluded. Fetch the horses so that we may leave at once.” She says loudly so that the Prince and his guards will overhear. She gives Charles a wink. Charles grins at Rey and bows to her grandly before shuffling off towards the bridge.

“Thank you, your highness.” Rey says, with her back to the Prince so that he still cannot see her face. “Your kindness will not be forgotten.”

‘Who was this girl?’ Ben wonders. It wasn’t like most noble women to care for their servants in such a manner, and there was something familiar about the lilt in the young woman’s voice that nagged at him. “Hang on. Have we met?” There is a crunch of boots in the dirt as Ben hastily dismounts his horse.

Rey squeezes her eyes shut as she feels him approach her from behind. “No, I don’t believe we have.” Rey quickly answers. “I must be going now, your highness. Good day.” She gathers her skirts to leave and starts walking away but the Prince and his long legs have already caught up with her.

“I’ve been subjected into meeting every courtier in the entire providence of Naboo. But you….” He stops in his tracks behind her as he pauses. Rey’s feet still as well. She feels as if she has lost control of her body. She holds her breath. “You’re different.”

Rey shudders an exhale. “Yes, well… I’m uh… Visiting.” She hastily lies as she begins walking again.

“Visiting? From where?” Ben follows suit.

“From nowhere.”

“No one’s from nowhere.”

“Takodana?” Rey supplies, Maz’s hometown the first place having come to mind.

“Visiting whom?”

“My um… Cousin.”

“Who is your cousin?”

“The child of my mothers brother.”

“Yes, I know what a cousin is.” Ben has become increasingly frustrated. “Are you purposefully being coy? Do you honestly intend to refuse to give me your name?” She can hear the anger building in his tone. “I am the Prince of Naboo!”

Rey skids to a stop in the dirt as she contemplates her answer. She can practically feel the Prince‘s burning gaze at her back. “Yes.” She says as she gathers her skirts once more. “Good day, Prince of Naboo.” She begins walking away again.

“At least tell me your cousins name so that I may call upon them to learn who you are.” He calls after her. “For if you do not, I promise to scour the entire countryside until I find you, and I intend not to fail.”

“The greatest teacher, failure is.” Rey haughtily quotes to the Prince as she finally creates some distance between them. “Perhaps it would do you well to fail in your pursuit of me.”

“The lady has read Yoda’s teachings?” Ben asks of her, incredulously.

Rey stops walking yet again. The Prince comes up to stand behind her. They’re outside the palace gates now, the long stretch of road that leads to the palace steps lying just beyond them.

“Your highness, surely you’re not suggesting a lady of my standing can’t read.”

“That’s not what I meant at all.” Ben says. “I’ve read them as well. My Uncle studied under Master Yoda. He instilled the teachings upon me as a boy. For a lady to have read them as well… She would have to be quite an intelligent individual.”

Rey can feel her face warm with a spreading blush and her heart cries out for her to turn around to look at him.

“I beg of you…” Ben practically whispers behind her back. “Give me name… Any name… Please…”

“My name is….” She takes in a shuddering breath before whirling around to bravely face the Prince. “My name is Rey.”

He must not recognize her because he stares at her in awe instead of with shock and anger. The Prince straightens himself, regaining his composure. “Rey? Rey what?” He inquires.

“There you are!” Han is approaching the gates, two guards closely following him. “It’s about time you’ve returned.”

“Hello Father.” Ben says, turning away from Lady Rey to quickly bow.

“The Queen would like a word with you.” Han says firmly, giving his son a knowing look through the gates as they are risen. “Several, in fact.”

“She usually does. I’ll be right in.” He turns back to address the Lady Rey, but alas - she has disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3

~*~

Maz is outside picking vegetables in the estates modest garden while Larma hangs the laundry to dry. Rey and Charles have returned from Theed, emerging from the surrounding forest of trees. Maz gasps, dropping her basket, several tomatoes spilling to the ground as she runs towards them. Charles scoops his tiny wife into his large arms and holds her tight. Rey is soon pulled into their embrace and Larma rushes over to join them.

“Thank you Rey…. Thank you.” Maz sobs, drying her face with the hem of her apron once they part. “You didn’t have to do that. The credits-”

“Nevermind the credits.” Rey says, cautiously eyeing the house. “Are they back yet?” She asks of the women. Larma and Maz nod nervously.

“Quick my dear, you can change in the kitchens.” Larma says, shielding her with her shoulder as they head back towards the house.

Rey shoves the gray dress to the bottom of the laundry basket before letting her hair down. She shoves the headpiece into the basket as well, and just in time.

“MIREILLE! Is that you I hear in there?” Lady Ventress calls through the door. Rey winces. Lady Ventress’s mood has definitely worsened. Rey smoothes her wrinkled dress from this morning that she hastily pulled on and enters the dining room.

“Just helping Larma with the laundry, my lady.” Rey says, avoiding her stepmothers piercing glare. “Did you need my help with something?”

Without warning, Lady Ventress reaches out a hand and sharply pulls Rey towards her. “You stupid, stupid girl!” Lady Ventress yells, her fingernails gripping harshly into Rey’s arm. “How _dare_ you humiliate me? Your sisters?”

“Humiliate you? How?” Rey replies, struggling in Lady Ventress’s grip. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Merrin making motions with her hands that mimic the movement of a horse.

“Merrin!” Ilyana hisses, glaring at her sister. Merrin stills her hands.

“The horse?” Rey says.

“Yes, the horse!” Lady Ventress snaps, letting go of Rey’s arm. Rey holds her hurt arm close to her chest. “What about the horse?”

“The Prince… He um… Borrowed Jacque this morning.”

“And you didn’t think to tell us?” Lady Ventress shouts.

“I’m sorry, my lady.” Rey apologizes, bowing her head.

“What an shameful thing for you to do, let the Prince surprise us like that!” Lady Ventress scolds.

Rey’s head snaps up. “He… He was here? Again?” Rey asks. Her heart is pounding. How long ago was this? Had he discovered she was the same person he spoke to at the palace courtyard?

“Yes, he was here, returning the horse! You’re lucky that Ilyana was able to distract him with her fetching looks!”

Ilyana sits up straighter from her place at the table, thrusting her chest out once more. “Indeed! We shouldn’t be surprised if he drops by again.” She tosses her long blonde hair over her shoulder and sneers at Rey.

Rey finds herself not only hanging her head in shame, but in embarrassment as well. Of course the Prince would find Ilyana beautiful. Ilyana dresses in the finest of gowns. Rey dresses like a servant. She _is_ a servant. Even moments ago when she had been gussied up as a noble woman, she was only living a lie. The Prince would never fall for someone like her.

But the kind words he spoke in the courtyard to her continue to echo in her heart and in her mind.

“If the Prince shows up again, you must alert us at once! Is that clear?” Lady Ventress says, lowering herself into her chair.

“Yes, my lady.” Rey replies.

“Good. Now go fetch a chicken or something.”

~*~

“You are restricted to the grounds!” Queen Leia yells at her son. She is red in the face, her anger having reached a boiling point since Prince Ben’s late night departure from the palace.

“Are you putting me under house arrest?” Prince Ben yells back, just as angry.

“Don’t you take that tone with me! You have forced me into my decisions and I will have my way-”

“Or what?” Ben continues to argue, gesturing his arms out wide. “You’ll send me away again? Admit it! I’m nothing but a thorn in your side!”

“You are the crown Prince of Naboo!”

“I never asked for this!”

“Please, you two.” King Han says from where he proudly stands next to his wife’s throne. “You both need to calm down.”

Several minutes pass by as the Queen and the Prince slow their breathing in near silence.

“Benjamin…” Queen Leia starts again in a quieter albeit still stern tone. “You were born into this privileged life and with that comes specific obligations. To pass on my title, you must wed. Your neglect in this matter has forced my hand.” She pauses, glancing up at her husband before turning back to the Prince. “You will marry the Emperor’s daughter from the Hays Minor Empire.”

The Prince balks at this. “An arranged marriage?! You can’t be serious?!”

Queen Leia holds up her hand and Prince Ben begrudgingly falls silent, fuming with clenched fists at his sides. “This marriage contract will broaden our trade routes with Hays Minor, helping to expand Naboo’s resources. In the end - this will be better for all of us.”

“Forgive me, Mother.” Ben replies sharply. “But when has a marriage to a complete stranger ever made anyone happy?”

“You will marry her by the next full moon or I will punish you to the lengths you’ve never been punished before!” Queen Leia barks.

“Fine then!” Ben retorts, throwing his arms up. “Toss me into the volcanoes at Mustafar, for all I care! I’m not going to stand here and let you force me into a life of misery while you and Father get to live happily ever after!” He yells.

“If you would marry for love then we wouldn’t be in this predicament, now would we?” The Queen snaps.

“Well, perhaps I just hadn’t found them yet!”

The Queen opens her mouth to angrily retort but says nothing, faltering. She leans forward on her throne, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “What do you mean?” Her eyes grow wide. “Does this mean you’ve met someone? Is that why you ran away?”

“Was it that girl you were speaking with outside the gates?” The King asks, intrigued.

The Queen is quickly growing excited. “Girl? What girl?”

Prince Ben sheepishly hangs his head and nervously rubs the back of his neck. He can feel his face flushing, the tips of his ears glowing red as they peek out from under his dark hair. “Her name is Rey.”

“Rey? Rey who?” The Queen demands.

Prince Ben shakes his head. “I never got her last name. She says she is in town from Takodana, visiting her cousin… Though I did not get her cousins name either. Have you heard of her?” He asks his mother hopefully.

Queen Leia shakes her head and purses her lips. “Benjamin, there are too many courtiers to remember them all by name.” The Queen looks off in the distance as she ponders momentarily. “Well then… If love is what you seek, then I suggest a compromise.”

“A compromise?” Ben asks, raising a quizzical brow.

“Yes.” The Queen sits back up regally in her throne. “In five days time we will hold a ball. A masquerade! You have until midnight of that night to announce your engagement to the girl of your choosing, or I will announce your engagement to the Emperor’s daughter. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

~*~

The following morning, Lady Ventress and her daughters are sat around the dining table, enjoying their breakfast. Lady Ventress had barely batted an eye when she discovered that Charles had returned, sniffing indignantly while Charles explained the well plotted lie that he had worked off the debt and had been allowed to return home. Rey is clearing the breakfast plates when Charles comes into the room, his head bowing low.

“A messenger has arrived from the Palace, my lady.” Charles hoarsely announces to Lady Ventress.

Rey nearly drops the plates she is holding. Ilyana and Merrin shoot up from their seats and begin twittering to each other in high pitched voices.

“A messenger from the Palace? How exciting!” 

“Do you think it’s from the Prince?”

“It must be! Surely it’s for me!”

“But what if it’s for me?”

“Shut up Merrin! Of course it’s not for you! Have you looked in a mirror lately?”

“Of course I’ve looked in a mirror lately! MOTHER! Ilyana is being terrible!”

“I am not! You’re just jealous!”

“Girls! GIRLS!” Lady Ventress hushes her daughters, raising her voice sternly. “Wait here.”

Lady Ventress practically glides over to the door, putting on her best fake face. The palace messenger is a short, skinny man with brown hair and sunken eyes. He bows deeply before extending an elegantly rolled scroll out for her.

“An announcement from the palace, my lady.” The messenger states.

Lady Ventress quickly unravels the scroll and reads aloud. “A masquerade ball? What is the celebration?” She asks of the messenger.

“The Prince’s impending engagement, my lady.”

“Engagement?” Lady Ventress repeats, intrigued. “To whom?”

“No one as of yet. The masquerade will serve as the Prince’s opportunity to select his bride. All ladies of the household are to attend.”

There are squeals of excitement from the adjoining room where Ilyana and Merrin (and Rey) have been eavesdropping. 

“Oh, I feel as if I might faint!” Ilyana whispers to Merrin. Annoyed, Merrin shoves at her sister and Ilyana pushes her back.

Lady Ventress is glancing over the finer details listed in the scroll. “In five days time? Why, that isn’t nearly enough time to prepare!” She pauses a moment. “What is your name, my fine fellow?”

The messenger flushes pink. “Mitaka, my lady.”

Lady Ventress grins like a cat who got the cream and works her vile magic. “Dear Mitaka, it would be ever so helpful if you could provide me the details of the prince’s agenda leading up to the masquerade. You know, as to help us better prepare.”

“M…My lady?” Mitaka asks, confused.

“His agenda.” Lady Ventress repeats. “What colors is the Prince to wear, so that my daughters may compliment his attire? His royal duties leading up to the day? Any whispers of courtiers that the Prince may be favoring over others?”

“Ah!” Mitaka says, fidgeting slightly with his jaunty messengers cap. “If I recall, the Prince favors dark colors. And as far as any duties go, there are none I’m currently aware of.”

“Oh.” Lady Ventress says, not hiding the disappointment from her tone.

“But!” Mitaka says, with renewed enthusiasm. “He _does_ practice swords with the royal guards tomorrow at noon.”

Lady Ventress grins wickedly. She reaches out a hand and delicately caresses Mitaka’s cheek, causing him to go redder than a summer tomato. “Thank you my dear Mitaka. You have been most helpful. I do hope I see you again soon.”

“Ye-Yes! Yes, my lady!” Mitaka says, bowing greatly before hastily making his exit.

~*~

Rey and Larma are working on the laundry. Rey is currently scrubbing the dirt from Ilyana’s borrowed dress she wore the day before.

“Oh, I wish I could have been there.” Larma muses as she stirs fabrics in a barrel of hot, soapy water with a stick. “To see you all dressed up and speaking like a lady to the Prince!”

Rey scoffs. “You saw me in the dress.” She reminds Larma. “And besides, I found him quite insufferable, following me around the way he was. He was quite demanding.”

“He’s royalty. He was raised that way.” Larma justifies. “Besides, I’m sure he’ll be charming if you get to know him.”

“I doubt I should ever see him again.” Rey says, trying hard not to let her disappointment show.

“But the letter from the palace says all the ladies of the house are to attend! That includes you!” Larma reminds her.

“I m not sure that Lady Ventress would allow it. To her I’m nothing but a member of the staff, not the household.”

Larma doesn’t get a chance to reply as Ilyana rudely shoves open the door to the laundry room. “Mireille, have you seen my - OH! My dress!” Ilyana stomps forward, approaching a nervous Rey, clutching the gray dress tightly in her hands. “I was looking for that! Why do you have my dress, scavenger?” Ilyana now demands, hands on her sharp hips.

“Oh! I um… I figured you might want to wear it into town tomorrow, seeing as the Prince favors his dark colors, so I was cleaning it for you!” Rey hastily lies.

Ilyana scowls at Rey. “That’s actually very thoughtful of you.” She says, crossing her arms. “Well, when you’re finished, Merrin needs you to mend her dress for tomorrow. She’s gotten too fat and split the seam.”

“Yes Ilyana.” Rey says, averting her gaze from her stepsister and focusing on scrubbing the dress instead. Ilyana turns on her heel and walks from the room, her nose in the air.

Once they are sure Ilyana is far enough away from the laundry room, Larma turns to back to Rey. “At least tell me, is the Prince as handsome as they say?”

Rey can feel her face warm, and it’s not from the heat of the laundry steam. “He is quite agreeable, yes.” She quickly gathers up the gray dress in her arms. “I’ll hang this outside to dry.” She announces, hastily making an exit so that Larma can’t press her for more information about the Prince.  
It’s mid afternoon now and Rey takes off into the woods to search for truffles. It’s a dirty task, but she doesn’t mind. In fact, she rather enjoys the solace it brings her as she walks along, listening to the birds sing in the trees and the soothing rush of water from the nearby river. Once she’s gathered enough for the kitchens, she walks down to the riverbed to wash her hands of all the dirt and grass. Ilyana will still make fun of her anyways once she returns, no matter how careful she is not to dirty her skirts while out in the woods. Rey sets down her basket of truffles at the waters edge and kneels down, dipping her hands into the cool water. While she’s at it, she decides to wash her face and leans down closer to the water.

“Nice day today.” Calls a male voice.

Rey shrieks, startled. She scrambles to her feet but slips on the wet grass, clumsily flailing and ultimately splashing into the river. Her head rises above the water and she gasps for air. The man who startled her in his boat paddles over to her.

“My apologies!” The man says as he paddles closer. “I did not mean to scare you! Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” Rey manages to sputter, her teeth having begun to chatter now that she was drenched in cold water, her soaked dress weighing heavily on her.

“Here, let me help you.” The man says, reaching a hand over the side of his boat towards her. “My home isn’t too far from here. Best get you warmed up before you catch your death!”

Rey numbly nods and allows the man to help her into his boat. He sets the oars down and graciously sheds his brown woolen robe and wraps it around her shoulders. The man has graying hair and a simple beard and his blue eyes are kind and apologetic. “Thank you.” Rey says to him once her teeth stop chattering, clutching the robe tightly around her.

“No need to thank me, it’s my fault.” The man eyes her as he rows up the river. “What exactly was a young lady such as yourself doing out in the woods alone?”

“I was picking truffles. Came down to the river to wash my hands.”

“I see…” The man replies slowly and suspiciously. “Well, we’re almost there now. Tell me, what is your name?”

“I’m Rey.”

“Rey? Nice to meet you Rey I’m -”

“Uncle Luke!”

Rey turns sharply in the boat to look behind her and what color she had in her face drains. The Prince is standing on the shore beside his black horse, waiting for the boat to approach.

“Ah! My dear nephew! Back again, I see!” The man, Luke, says.

“Your nephew is the Prince?” Rey hisses to Luke.

“You have nothing to worry about it.” Luke assures her as the boat begins to slow, dragging along the bottom of the riverbed. Luke hops out into the shallow waters and helps anchor the boat to a wooden post. “If you’ll excuse me a moment Benjamin, I’ve got to get this damsel in distress by the fire.”

“Lady Rey?” The Prince asks, squinting at Rey as Luke helps her out of the boat. “Is that you?”

“Hello again, your highness.” Rey says, dipping into a brief curtsy. Her sopping wet hair clings to her face and she offers the Prince an awkward smile.

Luke looks between the two, curious. “Do you two know each other?”

“We met the other day, in the palace courtyard.” Ben tells his Uncle. Luke raises and eyebrow and looks over at Rey who quickly looks away. Ben turns back to Rey, his face full of concern. “What happened? Why are you all the way out here? And why are you all wet?”

“I went for a relaxing walk in the woods and then down to the river.” Rey tells him with a shrug. “Just me being my clumsy self is all.” 

“I startled her in my boat and she fell in. This way, ‘Lady Rey’.” Luke says, guiding Rey towards a fire pit where he quickly strikes up a flame as she sits on the log stool.

“Where were your attendants? Could they not help you?” The Prince questions.

“I ah… Gave them the day off.” Rey lies.

“The day off?” Ben repeats, as if leisure is unheard of.

“Yes. They have better things to be doing than waiting on me every minute of the day.” Rey says, reaching out her hands and warming them over the crackling fire Luke has made. “Surely you’ve tired of your own people following you around all the time, your highness.”

“Yes Benjamin.” Luke chimes in. “Where are your guards exactly?” He offers his nephew a cheeky grin and Ben frowns.

“Regardless.” Ben says, brushing the jab aside. “They are palace servants. It’s what they do.”

“They’re still people, with their own lives.” Rey shoots back, a little bit too harshly.

The Prince frowns, his jaw tenses as it always does when he is frustrated. “You’re angry at me.” He accuses Rey.

“Am not.” Rey lies yet again.

“Admit it!” Ben demands, a hint of playfulness in his tone.

“Fine!” Rey answers in a huff. “Of course I’m angry!”

“Why?” Ben asks, now crossing his arms.

“Because you’re baiting me with your royal snobbery.” Rey snaps. “It’s frustrating!”

“Forgive me, Lady Rey.” The Prince says with a mock bow. “But your ideals are quite frustrating to _me_. Something I dare say I find fascinating as well.”

“How do you mean?” Rey asks, narrowing her eyes at Ben.

“You‘re a walking contradiction! You spout the ideals of a utopian society, yet you live the life of a courtier!”

Luke snorts a laugh, quickly disguising it as a cough.

“And what of you?” Rey shoots back. “You own all this land here and you take no pride in working for it. Are you not a contradiction yourself?”

“First you think I’m arrogant, and now you tell me I have no pride? How do I manage that?” He asks sarcastically.

“You have everything and still the world holds no joy to you and yet you insist on making fun of those who would see the world for its possibilities.” 

“On the contrary, I _don’t_ have everything. If I did my life would be a lot less complicated than it is now.” Ben snaps. He takes a moment to compose himself again, running a frustrated gloved hand through his perfectly tousled hair. “How do you do it?” He then asks her calmly.

“Do what?” Rey answers nervously.

“Live each day with so much passion? Don’t you find it exhausting?”

“Not particularly.” Rey replies, shrugging. “Only when I’m around you I suppose. Why must you irritate me so?”

Ben just smirks. “Why do you keep rising to the occasion?”

“Now children-” Luke interjects, chiding them like children. “You mustn’t keep bickering. It’s not good for one’s appetite. Now, Lady Rey, can I implore you to stay for dinner?”

Dinner?

Rey stands up in a haste. “I’m afraid I can’t stay any longer. I’ve lost track of the hour.”

“But you’re still wet!” The Prince points out as Rey hands Luke back his robe.

“I’ll finish drying on the walk back.”

“Wouldn’t you let me take you back on the boat? The wind is perfect, I’d have you back in no time.” Luke offers. “Where do you live?”

“Yes, where are you staying again?” The Prince adds.

“I’m sorry, your highness.” Rey says, curtsying quickly.

“Wait!” Ben calls after her. “I practice with the royal guard tomorrow in the courtyard. Will you come?”

“I … I can’t. I have a um… A tea party! Yes, I have a tea party to attend tomorrow.”

“Tea party? With whom? I thought you were here visiting?”

“I am! With ah… Lady Scyre. I must go now. Thank you! Goodbye!” And she is off in a very un-lady like run through the trees.

“Why does she keep running off like that?” Ben wonders aloud.

Luke chuckles softly and pats a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Perhaps you’ll find out one day.”


	4. Chapter 4

~*~

It’s dinner time back at the Palpatine estate. Lady Ventress and her daughters are gathered around a dimly lit dining room table.

“Larma, where are the other candlesticks?” Lady Ventress asks. “I can barely see my plate with this single light!”

“They’re missing, my lady.” Larma hesitantly answers. “I’ve searched high and low for them.” 

“Hmm. So this is how I am treated after all our years together? My husband’s prized possessions being pilfered out from beneath my nose? You all should be ashamed! I’ll be garnishing staff wages until the items return, are we clear?”

“Yes my lady.” Larma says, shamefully bowing her head.

“And where is Mireille?” Lady Ventress asks, squinting at her surroundings.

“Here I am, my lady.” Rey says, coming in the dining room through the kitchen doors. Thankfully her dress had dried on her way back home, but her hair was still raggedy and mussed.

“Good heavens!” Lady Ventress exclaims at the sight of her.

“Scavenging again I see.” Sniffs Ilyana.

“Mireille, you will need to refrain from gallivanting about the rest of this week. You are to stay here at home, especially now with all the thefts.”

“Thefts?”

Lady Ventress frowns at her, glowering in the shadows of the dimming room. “Yes, the thefts. Do not be ignorant of the fact! Several of your fathers possessions have gone missing and the staff has had their pay reduced as punishment until they are recovered.” Lady Ventress purses her lips haughtily before switching subjects. “Now, your sisters will be headed into town tomorrow to observe the Prince in his training. They will you to help them ready and dress so that they look their best. With the masquerade coming up, we shall need to make all the good impressions that we can so that Ilyana can expect a most advantageous proposal.”

“About the masquerade.” Rey begins, nervously wringing her hands. “I was hoping that I could attend the ball as well.”

Lady Ventress barks a laugh. “You? At a ball? You must have gone mad.” She and her daughters laugh together.

Rey holds her head up high. “Please, my lady. The letter from the palace did say ‘all ladies of the household are to attend’. I still am a lady of this household.”

Lady Ventress narrows her eyes at her and tents her fingers, bony elbows rest on the dining table. “That it did… That it did…” Lady Ventress murmurs. She places her hands back in her lap. “Well then Mireille if you insist on attending, you may.”

“MOTHER!” Ilyana screeches in protest, her silverware clattering as she pounds a fist on the table. “You can not let her go! Just look at her! She will be an embarrassment to us all! How can the Prince propose to me with a dirty SCAVENGER trailing after us?”

“Now, now Ilyana.” Lady Ventress soothes. “I wasn’t finished. Mireille you may attend the masquerade if your chores are all completed by the end of the week.”

Rey smiles wide and eagerly nods her head. “Yes, my lady. I will! I promise.”

“Good.” Lady Ventress purrs with an evil grin. “Now clean up the table, I can’t eat food that I can’t see.”

“Yes, my lady.” Rey says as she hurries to gather the dirty dishes and rushes off to the kitchens.

“Mother! You can’t be serious.” Ilyana says, grumpily crossing her arms. “She doesn’t even have a proper dress to wear! How can you let her attend the masquerade?”

“You weren’t listening then Ilyana.” Lady Ventress lightly chides. “I said ‘if’ she finishes all her chores by weeks end.”

An equally evil grin spreads across Ilyana’s face in the dying candlelight. “Oooooh. IF…..”

The mother and daughter share a devious chuckle, while Merrin looks down in shame.

~*~

The blade of a sword narrowly misses the Prince. He is distracted. A collective gasp rises from the gathered crowd. It is the main reason why his performance is off. Ben is not used to training with such a large audience. Had it not been for the news of the upcoming masquerade, there would not have been such a draw to the Prince’s weekly training session. There are around two dozen courtiers watching him and the royal guards fight. They huddle together in a sea of voluminous skirts in varying shades of black, looking as if they were here for a funeral rather than swordplay,

None of them mattered to Ben anyways. The one courtier he did wish had been observing him had turned down his invitation. Perhaps his frustration over the rejected offer as also to blame for his poor sportsmanship this afternoon.

“My apologies, your highness.” Captain Dameron apologized to the Prince, having been the man behind the near miss. The dashing Captain runs a hand through curly brown hair that compliments his olive tanned skin. “Is everything all right?” He asks low enough for the crowd not to hear.

“I’m fine.” Ben lies as he paces, swinging his sword back and forth and bobbing on his feet before striking his fighting stance. “Again.” He demands.

Poe hesitates before mirroring Ben’s stance and raising his sword, his elbows pointed outwards. Ben grunts and growls at he strikes forward, swinging his sword around to meet with Poe’s with the ringing clang of metal against metal. Poe shakes his hand out to his side, the impact having reverberated down his arm.

“Strong hit, your highness.” Poe compliments.

Their feet practically dance as they bob and weave in a large circle as they fight, the crowd now just a dark blur. A few more well aimed strikes forces Poe to back off, the Prince the clear winner of this round. The other guards and the courtiers clap politely as Poe reaches out a hand towards Ben to shake. The men shake hands, signaling the end of the match.

“Two out of three, your highness. Not bad.” Poe says. “I’ll get you next time.”

Ben snorts. “If there is a next time. I doubt I shall live past the masquerade. All these women are killing me.” Ben says, gesturing to the lingering group of courtiers. “My mother included.” He added.

“Well, lucky for me I have the opposite problem.” The Captain comments with a sigh. “I don’t envy your position at all, your highness. Them fawning all over you like that. They’re hoping to be invited to the masquerade as your personal guest.”

Ben sighs. “There is only one courtier I’d consider inviting, and I’ve no idea where to find her.”

“The Lady Rey, your highness?” Poe asks. “Forgive me, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with her when you first met. You seemed quite taken by her, chasing after her like that.”

“Yes, she is something…” Ben says, running a hand through his hair again. “I had hoped she would attend the training today, but she said she had a previous engagement with a Lady Scyre.”

“Lady Scyre? I believe she lives in the countryside that lies beyond the Endor Forest.” Poe says with a thoughtful look on his face. “Sort of an unpleasant woman, I hear. Quite bossy. Shall we pay her a visit?”

Ben smiles and claps a hand on his Captain’s shoulder. “You’re a smart man, Captain Dameron. Let us be on our way.”

~*~

Lady Ventress peruses the palace market, her daughters trailing closely behind. The mood is tense, as Ilyana is sour. The Prince didn’t look her way at all! She had even wore her new gold broach for the occasion.

The market is packed with merchants selling their finest garments and jewels for the approaching masquerade. Several young courtiers have come over following the Prince’s training to a booth that sells glittery masks in various colors and styles.

“Which do you think the Prince would like?” One of the courtiers asks another.

“Something dark and mysterious, like him. How about this crow?”

“You can’t pick that! That’s positively awful. Crows are a symbol of death!”

“Mother! We _must_ pick out masks for the ball.” Ilyana demands before shoving herself to the front of the booth.

“Make room for me!” Merrin whines.

“Lady Ventress…” Rumbles a deep voice from behind the frigid woman. “You get prettier every time I see you.”

She turns to see a portly bald man, gold rings squeezed over his sausage like fingers. “Ah. Unkar Plutt. I did not expect to see you in town today.” Lady Ventress purrs.

Unkar grunts a laugh. “There is profit to be made with the upcoming masquerade. I’m not going to pass that up.” Unkar sneers down at Lady Ventress, his double chin wobbling. “What are you shopping for today?”

“The girls need masks for the ball. Only the flashiest ones will do. For Ilyana at least.”

“And with what riches will you be paying?” Unkar scoffs. “Your estates soil may be the best in the providence but that servant girl of yours tends to it so poorly.”

“I have my means.” Lady Ventress snaps. “You know that.”

Unkar grins an evil, toothy smile. “That I do.” He says. “That. I. Do.”

~*~

Rey and Finn are walking along the path that leads to Theed, Rey having gone back into the woods to retrieve her forgotten basket of truffles with Finn as her company.

“It was horrible Finn.” Rey says to her friend. “I had to help bathe them. _Bathe_ them, Finn! They’re grown women for Gods sake. All that fuss just to go into to town and watch some men try to hit each other with big sticks!”

“Are you sure that’s what’s bothering you, Rey?” Finn asks suspiciously.

“What do you mean?” Rey replies nervously.

“Are you sure you’re not upset because you’re jealous that your sisters went to see the Prince without you?”

Rey halts in her footsteps. “How _dare_ you suggest that? You think that I’m _jealous_?”

“Well, with the way you’ve been going on about him all day, it certainly seems so.” Finn points out. “I believe the man is found to be quite handsome by most, is he not?”

“That has absolutely nothing to do with this! He - ! I -! ” Rey sputters. “He is -”

“Coming this way.”

“No, I was going to say-”

“No, Rey, he is coming this way!” Finn says, pointing behind them where a trio of gold armored men on horses have begun to approach, led by the Prince himself.

“I must hide!” Rey hisses, shoving her basket of truffles at Finn before she dives behind a thick tree trunk for cover. Within minutes the Prince has arrived alongside Finn, now whistling a jaunty tune as to not seem suspicious.

“You there!” The Prince calls out to him.

Finn halts and turns to acknowledge the Prince. “Good day, your highness!” Finn says happily, bowing gracefully. “Nice day for ah… Truffle picking, isn’t it?” Finn asks, raising the basket of truffles with his hand.

Ben questionably eyes the basket of truffles. To his right, Captain Dameron eagerly eyes Finn. “I’m looking for the Lady Scyre, I believe her to live out this way. Are you familiar?”

“Yes, your highness. I am employed by Lady Scyre.” Finn says, beginning to get nervous. “What is your business with the lady, if I may ask?”

“Ah! So you must know Lady Rey of Takodana then?” Ben asks of Finn.

“Yeeeeeeeessssss.” Finn replies, his response drawn out. “Oh yes, I do know her indeed.”

“The Lady Rey informed me she was having tea with Lady Scyre this afternoon.” Ben explains.

“Oh reeeealllly?” Finn asks, turning to look behind him in the direction of where Rey was hidden.

“What are you looking at? Is there something there?” Ben asks Finn, also peering into the woods.

“Oh nothing, your highness! Just thought I heard a squirrel. I’m uh… Afraid of squirrels. They give a nasty bite. Now, you say the Lady Rey was having tea at the Parnassos estate?”

“Yes.”

“Well I regret to inform you, your highness, that Lady Rey has already left. Tea was cut short you see, due to ah… lack of biscuits.”

“Where is she staying then? We passed no carriages on our way here.”

“Oh! That’s because she is staying with her st- with um, family. Nearby. Further up the road to be exact.”

Ben looks up the road in front of him. “Up there? But that’s where the Palpatine Estate is located.”

“Yes, your highness.” Finn says, bowing his head once more.

“Hmmm.” Ben says, his jaw clenching and lips pursing in thought. “And your name?”

“Finn, your highness.”

“Thank you Finn. Good luck with your… truffle picking.”

“Will do, your highness.” Finn replies as the men trot away.

“Finn! You traitor! You sent him right to my house!” Rey hisses at him angrily as she comes out of hiding.

“Then I suggest you run!” Finn says to her and she is off, bolting through the woods towards the château.

~*~

Luckily, Rey knew all the shortcuts in the woods in order to make it to the house before the Prince. She hastily called Larma and Maz to her aide in distracting the Prince so that she could ready herself as a courtier.

“Good afternoon, your highness!” Larma greeted the Prince, curtsying low. “What brings you here? Has the horse escaped again?”

“No, I come seeking someone. Lady Rey of Takodana? Is she staying here?”

“Lady Rey?”

“Yes.”

“Of…. What was it that you said again?”

“Of Takodana.”

“Of Takodana….”

“Yes, that’s what I said. Lady Rey of Takodana. I’ve been told that she is staying here with her cousin.”

“I see… And um… Who exactly told you that a Lady Rey was staying here?”

“A man named Finn. We passed him on the road on our way here.”

“Finn you say?”

“Yes.”

“Hmmm… There is a Finn that works for Lady Scyre.”

“Yes, I believe that is the same man, now is Lady Rey here or not?” Ben asked, increasingly becoming agitated.

“Who was it you were looking for again?”

“Lady Rey!” The Prince practically shouted.

“Yes? Did you call for me?”

Rey appears behind Larma, trying her best to conceal the fact that she was out of breath. She had dressed herself in another of Ilyana’s gowns. This one was off the shoulder in a striking shade of gold with an intricately beaded bodice. She wore her hair in the same twin buns, this time covering them with a gold netting that accompanied a matching headpiece.

“Lady Rey! There you are!” Larma says. She turns briefly back to the Prince. “Forgive me, your highness. My old age makes me quite forgetful sometimes.” Larma curtseys again to the Prince before moving out of the way, leaving Rey and Ben alone in the doorway.

“Lady Rey.” Ben says, bowing gently to her. Rey’s heart is about to hammer itself out of her chest.

“Your highness.” Rey says, remembering her manners and issuing the Prince a proper curtsy. “So…. It appears that you have found me.”

“As I promised I would.” Ben smugly replies. “You are related to the Lady Ventress?” He asks cautiously.

“By marriage.” Rey answers quietly. She hastily changes the subject. “What brings you here? Is your Uncle well?”

“Yes, he’s quite well.” Ben says before nervously looking behind him where the royal guards are watching. Poe is mischievously grinning at the scene. “I was on my way to the Monastery to peruse their library, and I was hoping that a well versed Lady such as yourself would do the honor of accompanying me.”

Rey hesitates, biting her lip before glancing over at Larma and Maz where they are standing out of sight, but still close enough to hear. They both wave their hands at her in a shooing motion.

“Go!” Maz hisses at her.

“Will your guards also be accompanying us to the Monastery?” Rey turns back to Ben, nervously eyeing the guards over his shoulder.

Ben turns and addresses the guards with a simple nod of his head. “Captain Dameron, your services are no longer needed today.”

The Captain smirks at the Prince and bows his head. “As you wish, your highness.” The Captain and the other guards turn their horses and swiftly ride off down the dirt path back to the main road.

Ben faces Rey again, a light smile twitching at the corner of his lips. “Not anymore they won’t.” He assures her. “Today I am simply Ben.”

“Ben…” Rey whispers, the thrill of speaking his name almost gives her the shivers. There is movement and she looks down, seeing that the Prince has extended a gloved hand towards her.

“Please.” He asks of her softly. His eyes are pleading, his face stoic. It is as if it took him a great deal of strength to offer her such a simple request.

Rey slowly reaches out her hand towards his in response. She rests her fingertips in the palm of his hand and his fingers close around them, gentle and warm. He pulls her outside and leads her to his horse.

“Lady Rey, this is Kylo.” Ben says, introducing Rey to the stallion. “He may not be wild, but don't let that fool you. He certainly has his moments.” Kylo snorts at this and paws a hoof at the ground. He calms once Rey places a hand on his velvety muzzle.

“He’s beautiful.” Rey murmurs before giggling softly as Kylo nudges at her hands. “How will we get to the Monastery now that your guards are gone?” She asks.

“We can take Kylo.” Ben answers, as if it is obvious. “Are you a capable rider?” Rey’s face flushes pink at the Prince’s words. “Of horses.” He clarifies, the tips of his ears burning red.

“Yes, I’m experienced enough of a rider. Of horses.” Rey says, the two of them avoiding each others gazes.

“Well, ladies first.” Ben says. One of his hands wraps strongly around her waist, the other hand guiding her as she hoists herself delicately onto Kylo’s back. Ben mounts the saddle behind her and his arms come around on either side of her torso as he reaches for the reins. His chest is sturdy and warm against her back. He nudges Kylo with his heel and with that they are headed off towards the Monastery.

The library is massive. The shelves of books stretch long and tall across the stone walls, their faded dyed leather spines soft to the touch.

“Is there anything that interests you, my lady?” Ben asks as she practically inspects each tome individually.

“They’re all so wonderful. It nearly brings me to tears.” Rey replies as her fingertips dance lightly across the books. “Which one is your favorite?”

Ben purses his lips in thought. “I’m afraid I can not narrow it down to one piece of literature.” He muses aloud. “However I can show you one of the Monastery’s treasured collections.”

Rey eagerly nods and Ben smiles in return. He takes her to the highest floor of the library to a room with shelves stacked high with scrolls. A worn trunk of leather and wood rests in the back. Ben lifts it up gingerly by its handles and sets it down on the table in the center of the room. He opens the lid and reveals to her a set of eight books bound in various coverings of leather, plant, and bone.

“Are these…” She trails off, mesmerized as Ben gently removes one of the books from the trunk.

“Yes. These are Master Yoda’s original texts.” He answers for her.

“But how?” Rey asks as she admires the book lain open before her on the table.

“I mentioned before that my Uncle studied under Master Yoda. These were passed onto him when Master Yoda died and he in turn donated them to the Monastery. You see, for a time my Uncle considered joining the church.” Ben explained. “But being the brother to the Queen, he felt his position here would cause too much conflict between church and the government. The church doesn’t always agree with political affairs, especially after my mother ascended the throne.”

“What exactly do you mean?” Rey asked, lightly fingering the crisp yellowed edges of the ancient texts.

“When my mother became Queen she lobbied for several changes within the Kingdom.” He pauses, a melancholy look passing over his face. He sighs. “Let’s just say some of the changes she petitioned for weren’t well received, nor have they panned out as she would have liked them to.”

“Oh…” Rey replies.

Ben studies her. “Tell me, my lady. What is it about these books that touches you so?”

Rey hesitates as she turns the pages of the text in front of her, several drawings accompanying the rows of elegantly written script. “It’s because of my father I suppose. He would read to me every night when I was little. It helped me fall asleep, listening to the sound of his voice.”

“How did your father come across Master Yoda’s teachings?” Ben asked.

“He traveled often for work. One day he returned with a small copy of Master Yoda’s wisdom. I believe he picked it up at a marketplace in Dagobah. When he was away, I would read it myself late into the night. And when he passed… I continued to read it, imagining my fathers voice in my head.” It is quiet between them for a moment. “I suppose you think that’s quite silly-”

“Not at all.” Ben interrupts her. “You continue to captivate me, Lady Rey. In my years away at the academy not one tutor demonstrated the passion that you have shown me these last few days. You have more conviction in one memory than I have in my entire being.”

Ben reaches over the table and places a hand over hers. Rey blushes and quickly moves her hand to put the open book away in the trunk. Ben frowns, feeling dejected. “My lady, if I have done something to offend you-”

“Please, your highness. It’s not you. I-”

A roll of thunder in the distance interrupts her. They both look towards the window, gray clouds looming in a quickly dimming sky. Ben reaches over to close the lid to the trunk.

“We should get you home before it storms.” He tells her.


	5. Chapter 5

~*~

They don’t make it far before the clouds open up and the rain begins to fall. Ben nearly pushes Kylo to his limits in a rush to hurry Rey home. He can feel the horse begin to slow. Rey shivers in front of him, clutching Ben’s cloak over her head. Ben pulls Kylo’s reins to the side and turns off the road and into the woods.

“Where are we going?” Rey shouts to Ben over the sound of the pouring rain. “Are we lost?”

“I’m taking you to my Uncles.” Ben replies, shaking his sopping wet hair from his face. “Kylo needs to rest.”

The sky has gotten so dark it’s hard to make out Luke’s hut where it lies tucked away at the edge of the forest. A faint orange glow can be seen through the hut’s small front window, though when Rey is ushered inside, the hut is empty. Ben ties Kylo up beneath a massive tree so that the leaves can help shelter him from the storm before entering the hut himself. Rey is sitting on a stone stool next to the modest fireplace, warming her hands on the fire. She has freed her hair from the netting she wore, letting her damp hair rest against her shoulders.

“Where is your Uncle? Is he all right?” Rey asks Ben as he takes his sodden cloak from her and lays it on the stone floor of the hut to dry in front of the fireplace. He takes a blanket from a nearby rocking chair and places it around Rey’s shoulders.

“He’s probably out fishing in this mess.” Ben says, breathing a laugh as he takes a seat across from her on a matching stool. “It’s the best time for it, he always says.”

Rey smiles a little. “Your Uncle is rather odd.” She tells him. “I like him. Though it would be nice for him to see me when I’m not soaked to the bone for once.”

Ben smiles a little at this. “I’m sure he would like that. He spoke fondly of you after you left the other day.”

“Did he?”

“Yes. He is a rather good judge of character, you see.” Ben hesitates, casting his eyes down at the fireplace. “Perhaps one day you can meet my mother.” He says softly.

“Oh…” Rey says, unable to think of anything else to say in response. It is quiet between save for the crackling of the embers in the fireplace. “Forgive me, but I must ask… If your Uncle is the brother the Queen, why does he choose to live out here so far from the palace?”

Ben fiddles with the gold buttons on his doublet. “For years Naboo has reigned under a Matriarchy. Daughters became Queens. Queens became mothers and their daughters would stand to inherit. In the case where there was no Princess to take the throne, sons of the Queen would have their wives handpicked for them to become the next Queen of Naboo. And in the cases where the Queen had both sons _and_ daughters, the daughters were favored considerably over their brothers and the boys were sent away to live with extended family.”

“How awful.” Rey murmurs.

“My mother and Luke are twins. Separated practically at birth, Luke was sent to live with monks from the Monastery. Master Yoda was one of them. He was given the title of Master Skywalker during his time there. My mother on the other hand continued to live at the palace where she was tutored on all things royal by my grandmothers trusted aide, Bail Organa. My mother named me after the monk who reunited her with her brother, Master Ben Kenobi, and her beloved teacher.”

“And were you sent away as well?” Rey asks Ben.

“I was sent to private school to learn instead of being tutored at the palace like my mother. I was… Well, let’s just say I was a rather difficult child.”

Rey snorts a laugh. “I can hardly imagine.” She says sarcastically.

Ben smirks before continuing. “You recall I mentioned the church was not happy with some of the changes my mother made. After being separated from her twin for nineteen years, she put her foot down. There would be no more Matriarchy. Sons would never be excluded from the royal family ever again. Sons would have every right to inherit as a daughter would.”

“So you stand to inherit the throne…” Rey murmurs aloud.

“Yes.” Ben says, nodding in response. “The first official King of Naboo.” He breaths another laugh. “Sometimes I think my mother never had another child on purpose, so that the governing council would have no choice but to accept me as the heir. I wouldn’t put it past her. She is a smart woman after all.”

“She sounds wonderful…” Rey says, trailing off.

“What of your family?” Ben asks her. “How exactly is it you’re related to Lady Ventress? I must admit to some confusion on the matter.”

Rey hesitates for a moment. “Through my cousin, Mireille.”

“Ah! The feisty young woman with the apples? She told you of the incident with the horse? I thought that was our secret.”

“I’ve told no one else.” Rey assures him. “Mireille’s father was a widower. He had been newly married to Lady Ventress when he passed and thus the estate went to her.”

“And your mother? You’ve yet to speak of one.”

Rey shakes her head. “No. She passed when I was a quite young. I’ve… Been alone for some time.”

“How sad that both of you lost your parents at such a young age. It must have been nice to have someone close to you to share in your sorrows.”

Rey frowns at this, feeling guilty for the Prince expressing emotions over her lies.

“I’ll admit I felt alone when my mother sent me away to school. I became close with my Uncle because he knew was it was like to have been separated from his family. But I know it is not the same as losing a loved one.” Ben sighs. “I hope you don’t feel alone anymore, my lady. You’re not.”

Rey slowly extends a trembling hand out from beneath the blanket and towards Ben. “Neither are you.”

Ben looks down at her hand with wondering eyes before he tugs his leather gloves off. He takes her hand gently in his and without breaking eye contact with her, he slowly raises her cold hand to his mouth and presses the softest of kisses to her knuckles.

Rey stares at Ben, mesmerized. He looks just as captivated as she is, his brown eyes almost golden in the glow of the fire. She sees his eyes flick down to her parted lips and she shudders an inhale. There is almost a magnetic pull between the two. Their faces are dipping towards each other as they both lean forward, their lips finally connecting without a moment of hesitation.

There is a bang at the door as it is kicked open and Ben and Rey jump apart, their faces blazing. Luke stands in the doorway, wearing a soaked robe and carrying a massive sturgeon in his arms.

“I was surprised to see your horse outside, Benjamin. This is the third visit from you this week. Lucky me!” He says as he shuts the door to the hut behind him with his foot. He pauses as he takes in Rey with the blanket over her shoulders. “And Lady Rey! A pleasant surprise to see you as well!”

“Hello Luke.” Rey says with a nod of her head.

“Rain is the best time for fishing!” Luke says as he sets the sturgeon down on his modest kitchen table with a heavy, wet slap. He glances over at the two of them again, scrutinizing them. Ben and Rey are avoiding looking at each other and Luke smugly smiles knowingly. “Caught in the rain were we?” He asks.

“How could you tell?” Ben asks sarcastically. “I was attempting to return Lady Rey back home but the storm forced us to take shelter. Yours was the closest dwelling I could think of.”

“For the better, I suppose. It’s getting quite awful out there” Luke says as he retrieves a cleaver from a block of wood. “I’m afraid you may have to spend the night, my lady.” He brings the cleaver down on the fishes head, cutting it clean off. “I hope you like fish!”

~*~

A lone candle lights the window that Lady Ventress looks out of, staring angrily across the front lawn. Rain continues to pour. In the places where the roof leaks the servants have placed tin buckets underneath to catch the water. The drip-drip-drip of the water into the buckets is grating on her ears. There is a soft knock at the door.

“Enter.” Lady Ventress snaps.

Larma enters, holding a small lantern. Her shoulders are hunched over with fear, her head hanging low.

“Still no sign of her, my lady.” Larma says quietly to Lady Ventress.

Lady Ventress continues to glare out the window, her thin eyebrows narrowing even further. “I want to be informed the minute she returns. Understood?” She demands.

“Yes, my lady.” Larma answers before sulking from the room.

~*~

Fog crawls across the tree lined road that leads towards the Palpatine estate. It is barely dawn when Rey arrives back at the château.

“Let me off here, please.” Rey says to Ben as Kylo approaches the gates of the estate.

“Are you sure?” Ben asks behind her.

“Yes. I wouldn’t want to wake anyone up.” She tells him.

Ben swiftly dismounts and reaches up to help Rey down off the horse. They stand there a moment, just staring at each other. Rey breaks the silence with a light clear of her throat.

“My family is probably worried about me.”

“As is mine. My mother probably thinks I’ve run away for good this time.”

Rey smiles lightly at this. “I must be going, your highness.” She says. She moves to dip into a curtsy but Ben places a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“Please. It’s still Ben.” He tells her. She numbly nods back, her checks flushing pink.

“Very well then.” She says with a nod of her head. “Good day Ben.”

“Rey - wait.” Ben says as soon as Rey turns away towards the gate. She turns back to him, a quizzical look on her face. “Are you familiar with the ruins of Ahch-To?” He asks.

“You mean those strange stones down by the shore?”

“Yes. It’s where the first Monastery library once stood. I often go there to be alone…. Would you meet me there tomorrow?”

Rey glances towards the house before looking back at Ben and issuing him a sad smile. “I shall do my best.” She tells him. She waits a moment longer for Ben to mount Kylo and ride off before hurrying inside the house.

Rey sneaks inside the kitchens. It is oddly quiet and empty. It must be earlier than she thought if Maz has yet to begin cooking breakfast. She sneaks through the dining room and tip toes up the stairs to her room. She hastily changes out of Ilyana’s gold gown, tossing it on top of her straw mattress before putting on a plain dress and apron. There is a creak on the stairs and Rey’s head shoots up and she nearly smacks it on the ceiling.

Lady Ventress stands ominously in the doorway of the attic.

“Where have you been?” Lady Ventress snaps. “I told you to _stay home_.”

“I’m sorry I missed dinner, my lady. I had to go into town for more candles and I got lost in the woods due to the storm. It was late when I got in.”

“LIES!” Lady Ventress shouts and Rey flinches. “You’ve been gone all night! How stupid do you think I am?”

“I - I’m sorry, I - I really was caught in the storm!” Rey stammers.

Ilyana and Merrin have now appeared over their mothers shoulder in the doorway. Ilyana glares smugly at Rey before her eyes practically bug out of her head and she shoves past her mother into the tiny room.

“MY DRESS!” Ilyana screeches, hurrying over to the straw mattress and snatching it up. She gives the dress a sniff and makes a face. “Urgh! It reeks of fish and horse manure!” Ilyana whirls on Rey, shaking the dress at her. “What did you do to my dress? It’s ruined, you disgusting scavenger!”

Rey snaps. She lunges at Ilyana and Ilyana screams as Rey tackles her to the attic floor, scratching at her and pulling her hair. “Never call me a scavenger again!” Rey yells at her.

“MOTHER! She’s trying to murder me!” Ilyana shrieks.

Before she knows it, Lady Ventress is prying her off of Ilyana. She pulls Rey to her feet before whipping her hand across Rey’s face so hard it leaves a mark.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Lady Ventress screams at her as Rey blinks her eyes and flexes her sore jaw.

“She’s trying to ruin my chances at the masquerade!” Ilyana yells as she clambers to her feet. “Is my nose broken Merrin? Oh, I’m sure it is.” She moans. “How can I go to the masquerade with a broken nose?”

“Your nose isn’t broken.” Merrin snaps at Ilyana. “Mother, please. The storm yesterday was awful. It’s quite possible Mireille _did_ get lost in the woods.”

“Then explain the dress!” Lady Ventress snaps at her youngest daughter. Merrin shrinks back and gives Rey an apologetic glance.

“You can forget about going to the masquerade after that performance!” Lady Ventress yells. “You’re going to clean this house until your fingers bleed!”

Rey doesn’t respond. Instead she just stands there and hangs her head. Ilyana snatches her dress up off the floor and follows her mother from the room, dramatically limping. Merrin hangs back for a moment.

“Mireille? … Rey?” Merrin asks gently. 

Rey turns away from Merrin, holding her arms tight to her chest as she tries to keep from crying. “Please… Just go…” Rey whispers to her shakily.

Merrin hangs her head and leaves.

~*~

The Prince doesn’t stop to change out of yesterdays clothes once he arrives home at the palace. He stalks the halls in muddy boots on his way to his parents suite. The armored guards stationed outside the doors part immediately with a salute and Ben pushes the doors wide open. His father jolts awake with a snort.

“Benjamin? Is that you?” Han mumbles sleepily. The Queen is sitting up in a flash, patting at her mussed up hair.

“Benjamin! You’re back!” Leia says happily, scrambling out of the bed to embrace her son in her nightclothes. She sniffs him and wrinkles her nose. “Gods, you smell awful! Where have you been?” She berates him. “You’ve been gone all night! I’ve been worried sick about you! I hope you didn’t go to some derelict Guavian whore house! I know you’re not happy about the masquerade but that’s no reason to tarnish your virtues.”

“Relax mother.” Ben says, slightly rolling his eyes. “I got caught in the storm and stayed the night at Uncle Luke’s.”

“That explains the smell.” Han mutters. Leia shoots her husband a look.

“Well I’m glad you’re okay. Han, go call off the search.”

“Yes, your highness.” Han grumbles sarcastically as he gets out of bed, rubbing at his back. 

“You called a search party on me?” Ben asks his mother.

“I told you I was worried.” Leia says with a huff. “Now why were you out? I thought I restricted you to the grounds!”

“I went to the Monastery.” Ben says, brushing off his disregard for his mothers previous punishment. He takes a deep breath. “Mother, I know what I want to campaign for once I am King.”

Leia blinks rapidly and a grin spreads across her face. “Oh Benjamin! It’s so refreshing to see you taking your role as the future King so seriously for once!” She sits back down on the bed and beckons him over, patting the spot on the bed next to her.

“I want to open an academy with the largest library you’ve ever seen, filled with books from all around the world. And it can be open to anyone who wishes to study, no matter their station. And I want to start a scholarship for those less fortunate, so that they can attend even if they lack the appropriate funds.”

Leia stares speechless at the Prince. “Who are you and what have you done with my son?” She asks him.

“I’m serious, mother!” Ben says. “This will better the people of Naboo, I’m sure of it!”

Leia looks at her son curiously. “And just what brought this on?” She asks.

“Lady Rey of Takodana.” Ben answers, his cheeks growing a bit pink. “She is so different from all the other courtiers. She’s witty and intelligent and….” He trails off and runs a hand through his hair. “I think you’d like her very much, mother.”

The Queen smiles and pats at Ben’s shoulder. “Then you shall introduce us at the masquerade.”

~*~

That afternoon, the air is thick with tension within the Palpatine estate. When Larma and Maz asked Rey what had happened and where she had been, she couldn’t even muster the strength to answer them. She just sadly shook her head at them. Even a gigantic bear hug from Charles couldn’t soothe her. Chores were already being hurled her way left and right. Clothes that had been washed just the other day were demanded to be rewashed without a stain in sight. The chimney needed to be swept, surfaces dusted, and every piece of silver needed to be polished under Lady Ventress’ strict supervision lest more pieces go missing.

Lady Ventress is watching from her place at the dining table where Rey sits at the opposite end, head hung low as she scrubs at utensils with a damp rag. “When you’re finished with that, the rugs need to be taken outside and beaten.”

“All the rugs?” Rey asks, eyeing the large oriental rug that rested underneath the dining table. It was large and the dining table was quite heavy to move.

“All the rugs.” Lady Ventress rudely repeats.

“Yes, my lady.”

There is a knock at the door and Rey’s head snaps up. Lady Ventress is up out of her chair in a flash.

“I know exactly how many pieces of silver are on this table.” Lady Ventress hisses to her. “If there are any missing when I return, I will take you out back and whip you.” She threatens.

“Yes, my lady.” Rey says, sinking back down in her chair.

Lady Ventress peeks out the door before opening it for the visitor. “Ah! My dear Mitaka! How nice of you to stop by.” She purrs, tone dripping with malicious intent.

“Good afternoon, my lady.” Mitaka greets Lady Ventress, removing his cap and bowing to her as if she was the Queen of Naboo herself. “I came straight here with news from the palace.” He tells her.

“News from the palace? Tell me quickly! Is the Prince closer to picking a bride?”

“Not yet, my lady. But he had the Queen in quite the panic yesterday.”

“Oh?”

“You see, the Prince was gone all last night. He didn’t return until sometime this morning.” Mitaka looks around cautiously even though it is just the two of them in the doorway. “There are rumors from his guard that the Prince was spending his time with a courtier.”

There is a clatter from inside the house as Rey drops a spoon, startled. Lady Ventress glares at her from her position at the doorway but Rey keeps looking down at the task at hand.

“Go on. Tell me about this courtier.” Lady Ventress demands. “Who is she?”

Mitaka shakes his head, wringing his cap in his hands. “I’m afraid I don’t know much, my lady. I believe her to be visiting from Takodana.”

“Takodana… Why does that sound familiar?” Lady Ventress wonders aloud. “Nevermind that, what does this girl look like?”

Mitaka shakes his head yet again. “I’m not sure, my lady. I’ve told you all that I’ve heard in passing. Though if I had to guess, I’d say she was a brunette.”

Lady Ventress scoffs at that. “Well! We will make sure to change his mind at the masquerade, now won’t we?”

“Ye-Yes, my lady.” Mitaka agrees eagerly.

“If you hear anything else, I want to be the first to know.” She says. She leans forward and whispers in Mitaka’s ear. “I’ll make it worth your while, of course.”

Mitaka practically faints, his knees gone wobbly. “Yes Lady Ventress! Of course Lady Ventress!”

Mitaka hurries away down the gravel path, the feather in his cap bobbing wildly. Lady Ventress smirks to herself as she shuts the door. She enters the dining room where Rey is finishing up with the silver. 

“They’re all there, I assure you.” She says. Lady Ventress comes over and obnoxiously counts the pieces, sneering down at Rey when they’ve all been accounted for,

“You’re dismissed. Move on to your next chore and tell Maz we’re ready for our lunch.”

“Yes, my lady.” Rey says, quickly gathering her supplies and heading into the kitchen. Ilyana and Merrin come down the stairs and take their seats. Ilyana’s limp from this morning has disappeared, but she continues to sniff and prod at her nose, making sure it isn’t broken after all. Maz enters the dining room moments later, her frail hands full of the serving platter.

“The meal is served, my lady.” Maz says to them, bowing her head.

“That will be all.” Lady Ventress says, motioning Maz away. Maz turns to leave. “Wait!” Maz turns back to Lady Ventress.

“Is something wrong with the potatoes, my lady?” Maz asks, wringing her wrinkled hands with worry.

“Where is it you’re from again?” Lady Ventress asks her.

“My hometown, my lady?” Maz asks, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Takodana, my lady. Why do you ask?”

“No reason.” Lady Ventress answers. “Now get back to the kitchens and try not to burn the potatoes next time.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After Maz has returned to the kitchens, Lady Ventress’ lunch grows cold as she stares off, deep in thought.


	6. Chapter 6

~*~

The following day, there is a small window of time where Rey is able to sneak away from the estate to meet with Ben. Lady Ventress and the girls are distracted with last minute additions to their dresses for the masquerade. They believe her to be cleaning out the stables, and since they refuse to step foot inside such a building, this is the perfect opportunity for her.

Unable to sneak anymore of Ilyana’s dresses, Rey borrows one of Lady Ventress’ dresses from the bottom of the laundry pile. It is long and gray with a detailed bodice. It is ill fitting, so she covers up with a long navy shawl. She looks at her reflection in Jacque’s trough of water and pulls her hair up the best she can, securing it with golden hair pins.

The walk to the ruins of Ahch-To feels like a death march. She has to tell Ben that she won’t be able to attend the masquerade, that perhaps she won’t be able to see him again at all. Each step she takes towards the shore makes her heart break more and more.

The Prince is standing with one foot propped up on a weathered rock, gazing out at the water. A gentle breeze ruffles his glorious hair and flaps at his cape. Rey has to stop herself from crying out at the sight of him. He is everything she could have ever hoped for and here she was to say good-bye. She thinks about running away for a second, but Ben has already turned around and spotted her.

He hurries over to her smiling, but his face falls once he sees her somber expression. “What is it? Are you unwell?” He asks her, concerned. He grabs for her hands and holds them gently.

“I fear that I’m not myself today.” Rey replies quietly.

“I feel as if my skin is the only thing keeping me from being everywhere at once. There’s so much going on with the masquerade.”

“About the masquerade-” Rey begins but Ben keeps talking.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the other night.” He tells her.

“There is something I must tell you!” Rey says, on the edge of exasperation.

“Come with me first. I want to show you something.” He says, leading her over to the rubble that had once been the foundation of the Monastery. A grand oak tree has grown in the middle of the ruins, it’s branches reaching high towards the sky.

“I can not stay for long.” Rey tells him once he lets go of her hand. “There is much I have to say.”

“I used to come here as a boy.” Ben says. “My mother would often come here and she would tell me the stories of my grandmother.” He walks forward and place a hand on the trunk of the tree. “She would sit underneath this tree and read to me.”

“It’s beautiful.” Rey says, taking a step closer to him, becoming lost in the magic of her surroundings.

“I could measure my life by this tree.” He says. “Such a grand tree but still it grows - just like I do. I’ve got so much life to live, especially once I am King and now…” He trails off before turning around to face Rey. “Now I no longer imagine my life alone.”

“You’re not making this easy for me.” Rey says, hastily looking away from him.

Ben walks up to her and takes her hands again. “I’ve barely slept. I feel this is all dream. You have sparked purpose within me, inspired a cause that I as King will make as my first royal decree. You are unlike any other courtier I have ever met and tomorrow at the masquerade, I wish to make that known to the world.”

A single tear falls from her eye and she quickly wipes it away. “Why did you have to be so wonderful?” She asks him.

“What is the matter?” He asks her. “What is it that you wished to tell me?”

“Just…” Rey takes in a deep breath to calm herself. She bravely looks Ben in the eyes. “Just that the other night… Was the happiest night of my life.” She says.

Ben smiles at her and reaches to a cup a hand on her cheek. She flinches, sore from where Lady Ventress struck her. Ben quickly pulls his hand away. 

“I’m sorry.” He apologizes, confused.

“I must go.” Rey says, stepping back from him.

“Rey…” Ben whispers, taking a step towards her.

“No! I can’t!” Rey says, shaking her head before turning and running away as fast as her feet will carry her.

~*~

It is the day before the masquerade and Lady Ventress has ventured into town - alone. She stalks the market slowly, keeping a close eye on her surroundings. If Mitaka’s newest information was correct, the Prince would be coming along at any moment. Lady Ventress busies herself in the meantime with browsing a nearby booth selling a variety of spices. It isn’t long before there is a murmur amongst the market shoppers and the subtle clang of the palace guards armor can be heard.

The crowd parts as the Prince approaches a specific booth in the market, the booth that was selling the masks for the ball. Lady Ventress slowly inches closer towards the booth, all the while pretending to be perusing various wares at the different booths. She occasionally peeks over her shoulder where the flustered salesperson is showing the Prince several masks to choose from. The Prince holds them up, moving them from side to side as he makes his decision.

“These two will do fine.” He tells the salesperson, handing over a bag full of credits that is obviously more than the cost of his purchase.

“Oh thank you, your highness!” The salesperson practically sobs. “Thank you!”

“Never seen the Prince so happy before.” Comments the owner of the candle booth that Lady Ventress is currently staked at. Lady Ventress glares at the woman before turning away just in time to physically bump into the Prince as he is making his leave.

“Oh! Forgive me, your highness.” Lady Ventress says to the Prince, curtsying low. “I was in a haste to get back to the estate and wasn’t looking where I was going.”

The Prince blinks at her. “Lady Ventress, how nice to see you again.” He says politely. “Is your family well?” He asks.

“Oh how kind of you to think of us! My daughters are looking forward to the masquerade tomorrow. They’ve been in quite a mood since the news of their cousins engagement was announced, so the ball will be sure to cheer them up.”

The Prince’s face visibly falls and fills with confusion. “Engagement?” He repeats, eyebrows furrowing.

“Oh yes! I believe you’re familiar with Lady Rey of Takodana?”

“Yes.” Ben says nodding his head, a fist clenching at his side.

“Well you see your highness, Lady Rey had been pursued for months by a prominent Lord from Alderaan, asking for her hand in marriage. It’s why she came to stay with us to begin with. A bit of cold feet if you asked me. Silly girl finally came to her senses yesterday and accepted his proposal. She’s packing to leave as we speak.”

Lady Ventress smirks, basking in the Prince’s sorrow as her lies sink in.

“I… I see…” The Prince says, lips drawn in and jaw tense. He squares his shoulders and holds his head high. “Well, give the Lady Rey my congratulations. Good day.” He brushes past her quickly, the royal guards having to step up their pace to keep up with him.

Lady Ventress watches as the Prince stomp back towards the palace, feeling quite pleased with herself.

~*~

The day of the masquerade is finally here. Rey has been up since before dawn, helping Maz in the kitchens.

“What’s this?” Ilyana snaps at Rey when breakfast is served. “I can’t eat bread today, you stupid oaf! How will I be able to fit in my dress? Take this away!” She demands.

“Ilyana, dear, you must eat something. We don’t need you fainting in front of the Prince if you’re famished.” Lady Ventress advises.

“I can eat tonight at the masquerade.” Ilyana huffs, crossing her arms grumpily. “Granted Merrin doesn’t eat all the food first.”

“I can’t possibly eat all the food at the masquerade, Ilyana.” Merrin snaps at her sister. “There’s probably going to be enough food there to feed all of Naboo!”

“Well I bet you’d eat it is all if you could.” Ilyana snaps back.

“Ladies… Please! Is this any kind of behavior fitting for a future Queen?”

“No, mother.” The girls reply solemnly. Ilyana sticks her tongue out at Merrin and Merrin repeats the gesture. 

Lady Ventress turns her attention now to Rey. “Mireille, I want the carriage cleaned from top to bottom.” Lady Ventress says to her. “And after lunch you’ll need to begin heating water for the baths. Off you go now.” She ends, shooing her away.

Once the sisters are bathed, Larma helps Rey dress the girls for the ball. Ilyana is wearing a navy dress with gold trimmings and a matching frilled collar that compliments her golden peacock mask. A dozen of the tell-tale feathers stick out from the top of the mask almost like a crown. Merrin’s dress is emerald green with puffy sleeves. Her mask is that of a mallard duck, made of a soft velvet material.

“I wanted to be the peacock!” Merrin sulks as Rey assists Merrin fit the mask around her delicately styled hair.

“You’re the idiot that chose the mask of a male duck !” Ilyana snaps back as she spritzes her cleavage with perfume.

“I didn’t pick this, mother did!” Merrin argues.

“Ladies, please!” Lady Ventress soothes as she strides into the room, dressed in a gold and black velvet dress very similar in style to Ilyana’s. “Remember what I said this morning. Let us not be getting all riled up before we leave.”

“Yes, mother.” The girls reply in unison.

“Larma, is Charles ready with the carriage?” Lady Ventress asks, glancing out the window.

“Yes, my lady.” Larma answers.

Ilyana shoves past Larma. “Let’s get going then. The sooner the Prince sees me, the quicker we can get engaged.”

“Yeah right…” Mumbles Merrin, trailing after her.

“What was that?” Ilyana snaps at her sister.

“I said ‘hurry up’.” Merrin lies. The girls head down the stairs, daintily holding their skirts so that they don’t touch the ground. 

Rey begins to follow Larma from the room when Lady Ventress stops her. “And where do you think you’re going?” Lady Ventress asks her, her cold hand pressing into her shoulder.

“Down to the kitchens, my lady.”

“You look positively exhausted.” Lady Ventress suspiciously coos. “I know you’re disappointed that you can’t attend the masquerade, so how about I allow you to take the rest of the night off?”

“The night off?” Rey questions as Lady Ventress steers Rey towards the attic.

“Yes! You’ve been working so hard to get your sisters ready for the ball. It’s the least I could do for you since you can’t go.”

They’re at the attic now.

“Oh. Well… Thank you, my lady.” Rey says as she walks in her room. “I… I hope you enjoy yourselves.”

Lady Ventress grins at her. “Oh we will. And I’ll be sure to say hello to the Prince for you. Oh! That reminds me.” Lady Ventress’ pale hand curls around the doorknob. “The Prince offers his congratulations on your engagement, Lady Rey of Takodana .”

Rey’s face turns white with the realization that Lady Ventress has managed to figure out her secret.

“You’re not as smart as you think you are Mireille. Disappearing all the time? The Prince showing up here all of the sudden? Borrowing Ilyana’s dresses? It wasn’t hard to figure out once I started putting the pieces together. So I ran into the Prince in town I let him know that Lady Rey had accepted a marriage proposal and left immediately for Alderaan. He seemed quite upset, actually. A pity that you shall never see him ever again.” And with that, Lady Ventress steps back and pulls the door shut with a slam.

“No! WAIT!” Rey yells. She rushes to the door and begins pulling on the knob to no avail.

“You vile girl!” Lady Ventress yells from the other side of the attic door as she locks it. “Parading around as a courtier! What were you thinking? The Prince doesn’t deserve someone like you. Once your sister has secured her position within royal family, they will have your head for what you did!”

“Please! You can’t!” Rey pleads, banging her fists on the door.

“I’m afraid I can. Goodbye Lady Rey!”

“Please! Don’t do this!” Rey continues to shout through the door.

Lady Ventress ignores her as she makes her way outside to the waiting carriage. “To the palace, Charles!” She demands. “And hurry!”

~*~

Larma and Maz come running at the sound of Rey’s distressed calls for help.

“Child! What’s happened?” Larma asks through the door.

“It’s Lady Ventress!” Rey cries. “She’s locked me in! She found out I’ve been seeing the Prince. He thinks I’m engaged to another!”

“Oh dear!” Larma says, shaking her head. “What should we do?” She asks Maz.

Maz takes a step back and rolls up the long sleeves of her dress. “I’ll handle this.” She says. She then attempts to kick down the door, nearly falling back down the stairs had not Larma caught her.

“I guess I’m not as strong as I used to be.” Maz mumbles as she rights herself.

“Where does she keep the other keys?” Rey calls through the door. 

Larma hurries to Lady Ventress’ room and returns with bad news. “Her jewelry box is locked as well.”

“Blast that woman!” Maz exclaims. “And Charles won’t be back until after the masquerade. He‘s strong enough to break the door.”

“What are we going to do?” Larma worries.

“Finn!” Rey shouts. “Larma! Go get Finn!”

“Right!” Larma says, rushing back down the stairs and out of the house.

Once Finn arrives, he throws his shoulder into the door repeatedly but the door merely shudders at the impact.

“I’m sorry Rey! The door just won’t budge.” Finn calls to her through the door. “I’m just not strong enough.”

“Can you try the lock again?” She asks. Larma hands Finn a hairpin taken from Ilyana’s jewelry box and he tries jiggling it within the lock.

“Nothing.” Finn grumbles.

“Shall we smash the knob?” Maz asks, holding up a candlestick.

“Oh Rey! It’s no use!” Larma cries. “If only we had more help!”

Rey has an idea on the other side of the door. “Finn! You must find Luke!” She tells him.

“Luke? Who’s Luke?”

“He’s the Prince’s Uncle! He lives in a hut within the Endor Forest. He can help us!”

“Why does the Uncle of the Prince live in the forest?”

“That doesn’t matter right now, Finn! Just go get him! Follow the river! And quick!”

“Right!” Finn says.

He hurries away and Rey slinks to the floor. Her back leans against the door and she hangs her head. “I’ll never get a chance to explain myself to him.” She murmurs. “This is all my fault.” 

“No child.” Maz says as she leans against the door to speak to her. “The Lady Ventress is wicked. She is just jealous that the Prince chose you instead of Ilyana.”

“But I lied to him!” Rey cries, hanging her head in her hands.

“You’re forgetting child.” Maz says calmly through the door. “You’ve always been Lady Rey. Just not of Takodana. You’re still the daughter of a Lord. Lady Ventress took that from you after your father died. She’s always been threatened by you.” Maz straightens and clenches her frail hands into fists. “We need to stand up for ourselves and take back our livelihood!”

Rey has fallen asleep against the door by the time Finn returns with Luke. The sun is already beginning to set outside, signaling the start of the masquerade. She wakes up with a start at the sound of their voices.

“What seems to be all the fuss?” Luke asks as he makes his way up the stairs. Larma and Maz move out of his way.

“Luke! Help! I’ve been locked in the attic!” Rey calls out to him.

“Lady Rey? Is that you?” Luke says, leaning his ear against the door.

“Yes! It’s me! Please help! I must get to the masquerade to speak to the Prince right away!”

“Mmm… Yes, Benjamin did mention something to me about an engagement…”

“It’s a lie! My stepmother told the Prince that so that he would consider my sister as a bride instead of me.” There is a pause as Rey hesitates behind the door. “It’s a lie.” She repeats. “It’s all been a lie… Luke, I’m not-”

“You’re not a courtier.” Luke finishes for her.

“You knew?” Rey asks through the door. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

On the other side of the door, Luke shrugs. “Why does it matter? Ben has chosen to marry for love, and if that is with you, then the Queen will respect his wishes. Besides, haven’t you forgotten that the King himself if a commoner?”

“I suppose you’re right….” Rey replies. “I just hope it’s not too late.”

“The night is still young.” Luke tell hers. “Now let’s get you out of there. Young man, hand me that candlestick.”

Finn takes the candlestick from Maz and hands it to Luke. He proceeds to use it as a hammer to remove the bolts from the hinges and the door soon falls away.

Larma and Maz rush inside to hug Rey. Finn hurries over and joins them. When they pull apart Rey begins to giggle.

“Finn! Why are you dressed as a horse?”

Finn is dressed for the masquerade wearing a fancy black shirt with a hood that resembles a horse head. He frowns. “It’s all they had left at the market!” He defends. “Why? Do I not look good?” He puts his hands into fists and holds them in the air like a horse rearing up and makes a whinnying noise.

“You look ridiculous!” Rey laughs.

Luke steps into the room. Rey turns to him and they share a brief hug. Luke holds her by the shoulders at arms length when they part. “It’s so good to see you not sopping wet for once.” He tells her.

Rey laughs again, wiping tears from her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Now, we must get you ready for the ball.” Luke says. “Finn! Where are my things?”

“Oh! Right, right, right!” Finn hurries down the steps and returns to the attic, lugging a large trunk.

“What’s this?” Rey asks Luke.

“Something that was given to me after my mother died. Obviously _I‘ve_ never had a use for it, but I think the occasion calls for it.”

Luke opens the lid of the trunk. Rey, Finn, Larma and Maz all lean in to look.

Finn whistles lowly.

“Oh my…” Maz whispers.

“This… this belonged to Queen Padme?” Larma asks shakily. “ _The_ Queen Padme?”

“Oh no! I can’t possibly…” Rey says, shaking her head.

“Please, I insist.” Luke says. “After all, the Prince _is_ expecting a Lady.”

While Rey dresses, Finn hurries back to Lady Scyre’s and returns with a straw wagon.

“Lady Scyre took the good carriage to the masquerade. This is the best I can do.” He tells Luke as he pulls up to the front of the château.

“This will do fine.” Luke says as Larma and Maz help Rey into the back of the wagon.

“She looks like a masterpiece.” Larma whispers to Maz, wiping tears from her eyes.

“No.” Maz says, shaking her head. “She looks like a Princess.”

Finn steers the wagon back down the path towards the main road.

“Stop at the gate, Finn!” Rey tells Finn. “It’s tradition!”

Finn pulls on the reins and pauses at the gate as asked. Rey stands up in the wagon and waves happily to Larma and Maz, who wave excitedly back.

“Are you ready, my lady?” Finn asks Rey sarcastically as she takes her seat.

“Master Yoda once said; ‘Close your mouth and open your ears, then hear what your true heart is seeking’.” She looks over at Luke and he smiles and nods at her. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”


	7. Chapter 7

~*~

The Prince overlooks the splendor of the masquerade from a balcony, hands crossed behind his back. It seems almost as if all of Naboo is here. There are tables overflowing with food and wine. A small orchestra plays in the corner of the courtyard.

There is movement from behind him, a flurry of red skirts. “I understand you wanted to see me?” The Queen asks her son.

“Yes. I had something I wanted to say.”

“I have something I want to say, too.” The Queen says, stepping closer to her son and looking out at the festivities. “Perhaps it was unfair of me to go about the way I did with the marriage contract. You weren’t making any changes in your life, and I was just trying to push you in the right direction. And that idea of yours, the academy… It’s a brilliant idea…. I’m proud of you. Now, what was it you summoned me for?”

Ben clenches his fists at his side, his mouth stern. “I’ve made a decision about the engagement.”

~*~

It is quickly approaching midnight when Finn, Rey, and Luke arrive at the palace. A palace guard approaches the wagon. It sticks out like a sore thumb from all the fine carriages that are lined up outside.

“May I see your invitation, please?” The guard asks of Finn.

“You don’t need to see our invitation.” Luke says to the guard as he assists Rey out of the wagon.

The palace guards mouth flounders as he realizes who he is speaking with. “Of course Master Skywalker! My apologies Master Skywalker! Please! Go right on ahead!” 

“Remember, we must find the Prince.” Luke says to Finn as they walk up the bridge towards the courtyard. “You go up ahead.”

“Right!” Finn says, saluting Luke.

~*~

Finn hurries ahead, ducking in between the throngs of masked people that mill about. His horse head keeps falling down in front of his face and he periodically has to push it up out of his eyes. During one of these instances he bumps hard into someone, the both of them stumbling back.

“I’m so sorry!” Finn apologizes. “It’s this stupid hat!”

“I couldn’t agree more.” The other man says. Captain Poe Dameron stands in front of Finn, wearing a matching horse hood.

A grin splits across Finn’s face. “You’re a last minute shopper as well?” Finn asks the Captain.

Poe smiles and shrugs. “Guilty.” He says. “Haven’t we met before? You work for Lady Scyre. Finn, isn‘t it?”

Finn eagerly nods. “Yes!” He blushes, flustered at the Captains recollection of him.

“I uh… Was on my way to partake in the buffet. Would… you care to join me?” Poe asks Finn nervously.

“That would be great, I’m starving!!! But uh… I’m actually supposed to be looking for the Prince right now.” Finn says. His eyes suddenly light up with remembrance. “The Prince!” He grabs Poe by the shoulders. “I have to find the Prince! Can you help me?”

~*~

“Now, before we go in, I have something else for you.” Luke says to Rey as they hover in the shadows of the palace gates.

“Luke, you’ve already done so much for me.” Rey says, shaking her head. “I can’t accept any more of your kindness.”

“This isn’t from me.” Luke says, reaching into the pocket of his robes. He pulls out a mask that is colored a brilliant blue and shaped like a butterfly. It sparkles and shines in the light of the torch overhead.

“The Prince purchased this for you to wear tonight.” Luke explains as he holds the mask out to her. “He planned on delivering it to you himself, but after he ran into your stepmother he came straight to me. He was so distraught over the news that you were engaged to another, he tried to throw it into the river, but I stopped him.” 

Luke motions Rey to turn around and he helps her secure the mask over her carefully styled hair.

She turns back around to face him. “How do I look?” 

Luke smiles fondly at her. “Beautiful.” He says. 

Somewhere across the courtyard, a clock bell begins to toll.

“We must get going.” Luke says, ushering her past the palace gates. “Hurry!

~*~

At the end of the twelfth chime, everyone’s attention turns to the balcony as the King and Queen make their way to the railing.

“People of Naboo! Friends! Honored guests!” The Queen speaks loudly and regally to the crowds below. “It gives us great pleasure… To announce to you a much awaited decision…”

The Queen looks behind her and the Prince enters the balcony. He moves to stand beside his mother, his face like stone.

“So without further ado….”

~*~

“Psssst! Your highness!” Poe hisses from beneath the balcony. He waves his hand frantically, trying to catch the Prince’s attention. His horse head hat falls in front of his face. “Damn hat!” He grumbles, whipping it off in frustration and begins waving it in the air at Ben.

“So without further ado….” The Queen says.

“YOUR HIGHNESS!!!” Poe whisper shouts.

Both Ben and the Queen look down at Poe where he begins wildly pointing in the direction of the palace gates.

~*~

“It gives us great pleasure… To announce to you a much awaited decision…”

“Oh this is it!” Ilyana says to her mother, fanning herself with her mask. “I wonder what my crown will look like.”

“For Gods sake Ilyana, he isn’t going to propose to you!” Merrin hisses, ripping off her mask in anger. “You spoke once to the man. Just how daft are you?”

“So without further ado….”

“How _dare_ you call me daft, you fat pig! That’s what you are and what you should have dressed as!”

“Hush!” Lady Ventress says to her squabbling daughters. She raises on her feet, trying to see above the crowd. “Something’s happening.”

~*~

The crowds part for Rey as she makes her way inside the courtyard. They whisper to each other as she passes by, her head held high.

“What’s going on?”

“Who is that?”

“My Gods, it’s an angel!”

Rey is dressed in Queen Padme’s coronation gown. It is made of bright white silk with a sash that trails down the front. The sash is printed with the golden crest of the Naboo royal family. A ruffled cape with a swan feather collar rests around her shoulders. Her hair is pulled up into three elegant buns, the ribbon of the butterfly mask resting between them.

~*~

“YOUR HIGHNESS!!!”

Ben looks down to his right over the side of the balcony. Captain Dameron is waving a cloth horse head around as he gestures excitedly towards the palace gates. Beside him he can hear his mother gasp.

“It can’t be!” She whispers. “Is that…. My mothers dress???” She place a hand over her heart when the realization sinks in. “Luke!” She exclaims.

Ben’s head snaps up and he is immediately stunned by the ethereal beauty that has entered the courtyard. Even without the iridescent blue butterfly mask that adorned her face, he would have known it was her anywhere.

“Rey!” He gasps, pushing himself away from the balcony. He barrels down the steps that lead from the balcony down to the courtyard.

~*~

“Do you know who that is?” A nearby courtier asks their companion.

“I’ve no idea, but she’s wearing the Naboo crest!”

There is swift movement from the balcony as the Prince hastily makes an exit. Lady Ventress’ eyes narrow as she watches the Prince rush down the steps. There could be only one reason for the Prince to be in such a hurry on a night like tonight.

“Wait here.” Lady Ventress whispers to Ilyana.

“Where are you going, mother?” Ilyana asks.

“To make you a Queen!” Lady Ventress hisses, before pushing her way through the crowds.

~*~

Rey freezes in her steps as Ben rushes towards her, stopping just out of arms reach.

“Lady Rey! I….” His eyes dart over her figure, taking her in. “I was told you left. That you were engaged.”

Rey shakes her head. “Lady Ventress was wrong. But there is something I still must tell you before another word is spoken.”

“You’re not engaged?” Ben asks, his chest heaving quickly as be breathes heavily.

“No. I’m not.” Rey says, shyly smiling at him.

Ben rakes a hand though his hair, and there is a twitch of a smile at his lips. “Oh Gods, I was about to make the worst mistake of my life.” He breathily laughs. He holds his hand out for her take. The guests at the edge of the crowd sigh and gasp at the Prince’s boldness of such a gesture in front of the entire royal court.

“Come. There is someone I want you to meet.” He turns away and looks up at the balcony at his mother and father, where Queen Leia proudly looks on.

“But I must speak to you first.” Rey protests.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait.” Benn tells her.

“No, it can’t. Please! I-”

“There you are, you filthy scavenger!”

Lady Ventress bursts through the crowd and shoves herself into Rey, knocking her off balance as she rips the butterfly mask away from her face.

“Lady Ventress! By the order of the royal family, contain yourself!” Ben shouts at her.

“But she is an imposter, your highness!” Lady Ventress yells loudly so that all can hear. She grabs for Rey’s hair and tears out the pins that held her hair up. Rey cries and tries to move away from her. Lady Ventress stomps on the edge of the dress and there is a terrible ripping noise as the fabric tears.

“No! Please!” Rey begs.

“This is not Lady Rey of Takodana! Her name is Mireille Palpatine, and she is granddaughter of the man who attempted to take Queen Padme’s life!”

The crowd gasps as Lady Ventress now rips the cape from Rey’s shoulders and throwing it to the ground. “She is nothing but a lowly servant in my household and she has been tricking you by pretending to be a courtier this whole time!”

“Rey, what is she talking about?” Ben asks, his eyes growing dark. 

“Go on! Tell him!” Lady Ventress shouts at her, ripping the sash with the royal crest off the front of the dress. “Bow before true royalty you insolent fraud!”

“Please! Stop!” Rey shouts. “It’s true! I’m not Lady Rey of Takodana. I’m a Palpatine.”

Ben stares blankly at her as the pieces come falling together. “So it _was_ you with the apples in the orchard.”

“I can explain.” Rey gasps, clutching at the ruined front of her dress.

“First you’re engaged and now you’re a servant? I don’t know what to believe anymore. Get out of my sight before I have you removed from it.” Ben snaps at her. 

“Please Ben… Don’t go this way.” Rey begs him.

“You will address me as ‘your highness’.” The Prince snarls. He turns on his heel and walks away, back up to the balcony. The door leading back inside the palace slams behind him.

Rey gasps a sob and gathers up the torn skirts in her hands as she flees the courtyard, leaving a shocked and appalled crowd in her wake.

The King and Queen look at each other. The King merely shrugs before he leaves his wife to her duties and goes to check on the Prince.

The Queen stoically approaches the balcony again. “The Prince will be wed to the Empress of the Hays Minor Empire in two days time.” She announces to the crowd with a somber face. “Enjoy the rest of the evening.” She turns away and enters the palace with her head held high and her heart broken.

~*~

A lone lantern lights the palace stables. Ben is inside, leaning on the gate of Kylo’s stall with his head hung low.

“What the hell have you done?”

Ben sighs and turns away from the stable doors. “Not now Uncle.” Ben groans.

“Are you running away again?”

“Thinking about it.” Ben admits, scuffing his boot in the hay spread across the dirt floor. “Everywhere I want to go I can’t. They all remind me of her now. She has destroyed me.”

“You have destroyed yourself!” Luke shouts at him.

“Watch who you are speaking to, Master Skywalker!” Ben spits. “You’re out of line here!”

“You’re out of line!” Luke snaps back. “Have you any idea what she went through tonight to get here?”

“She _lied_ to me.” Ben says with emphasis. “And you’re just as bad as her by helping her.”

“She came to tell you the truth and you abandoned her in a time of need.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Ben says, pacing the length of the stables. “I was born into privilege and with that comes specific obligations. The decision has been made. I’ll be wed to the Hays Minor Empress.”

“Decisions can be overturned.” Luke says softly, stepping closer to Ben. “You don’t love the Empress, Ben. A life without love is no life at all!”

“And love without trust? What of that?”

“She’s your dyad, Benjamin.”

“The Queen has made her decision.” Ben says, straightening himself. He glares fiercely at his Uncle with red rimmed eyes. “I will not yield.”

“Then you don’t deserve her.” Luke snaps. He places the butterfly mask he was holding on a nearby stack of hay before slipping out of the stable and into the night.

~*~

It is late morning and Rey is working in the orchard, having slept little following the disaster that was the masquerade. Her eyes are red and puffy from hours of crying and her hair is ragged. She gathers up the good apples, leaving the rotten ones on the ground. She picks up what looks to be a fine apple and turns it over only to see soft spots where the fruit has begun to go bad. She sighs as she looks down at the fruit, feeling just as disgusting as it’s rotten core.

Lady Ventress was right. The Prince doesn’t deserve someone like her. What was she thinking, going through with the masquerade like she did? Ben was so angry at her. She was such a fool to think that he wouldn’t be mad once she told him the truth, thinking that perhaps he would have understood. Upset, yes, but not furious. If he was truly repulsed by her, does that mean the kiss that they shared meant nothing to him? Rey throws the rotting apple back down on the ground angrily and frowns.

There is a snap of a branch behind her yet Rey doesn’t turn to face her guest. “I have it on good authority that had it not been for your embarrassing display at the masquerade that the Prince most certainly would have chosen Ilyana as his bride.” Lady Ventress tells her cooly. She then scoffs a laugh. “Men are such fickle beings. One minute they’re whispering sweet nothings to you and the next you’re back to being the help.”

“I don’t do this for you.” Rey snaps as she moves on to the next row of trees. “This is my fathers land. I do this for him.”

“My…” Lady Ventress coos. “Aren’t you sour today?” Rey continues to ignore her as she walks along, picking apples. “Poor Ilyana has been inconsolable all morning. This is all your fault.” Lady Ventress blames. “Every since we came here you’ve done nothing but cause us trouble!”

“Just what makes you think I’m going to behave for you now?” Rey snaps again at her. “You’re supposed to be my family! I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me and you still deny me my birthright!”

“Family? Ha!” Lady Ventress laughs wickedly. “I married your father for his wealth and his title. I never loved him and I’ve never loved you. I’m finally going to be rid of you after all these years and I couldn’t be happier about it!”

Rey pauses and turns to Lady Ventress with a frown. “What do you mean?” She asks her with narrowed eyes.

“It’s back! It’s back!” Larma is hurrying across the fields over to them. “Come and see, my lady! They’re back! All of them!”

“What’s back?” Rey asks. Lady Ventress just smirks as Rey follows Larma back to the front of the château.

There is a horse tied to a modest carriage parked on the front lawn. An overweight bald man is removing objects from the carriage and passing them over to Charles who is taking them inside.

“The candlesticks and all the silver we were missing have been returned!” Larma tells Rey happily as she watches the missing items being returned one by one. “And there’s the gravy boat. And the tapestries! The tapestries? Why, I hadn’t even noticed those had been missing!”

“Ah! Unkar!” Lady Ventress says, coming up behind Rey and Larma. “Right on time.”

“It’s all here, my lady.” Unkar grunts to Lady Ventress, passing another place setting to Charles. “Right down to the last candlestick.”

Rey whirls around on Lady Ventress. “You sold my father’s belongings? And then you blamed the staff for their supposed theft?”

“What was I supposed to do?” Lady Ventress sniffs. “We needed the money. And besides, we’ll need all the fine furnishing we can get right now if we are to persuade the Prince to leave his new bride for Ilyana.”

“You’ve gone mad!” Rey spits at her. “The Prince would never choose Ilyana.”

“Well good thing you won’t be around to distract him anymore. Unkar? We’re done here.” 

Unkar strides over to Lady Ventress, rubbing his fat hands together greedily. “I’m ready for my payment, my lady.” He says to her.

“I must admit I feel a bit of guilt that I get the better end of the deal.” Lady Ventress says to Unkar. “Good luck with that one.”

Unkar chuckles grotesquely. “Pleasure doing business with you.” He says to Lady Ventress with a half bow. He reaches out, quick as a flash, and grabs Rey by her arm. “Come on, girl. I own you now.”

“What? NO! NO, YOU CAN’T!” Rey screams, struggling to get out of Unkar’s thick grip he has on her arm as he begins to drag her away. “Let go! You can’t do this!”

Unkar chuckles evilly as he shoves her inside the carriage and locks the doors. “I paid for you. I can do whatever I want.” He says.

“My lady! You can’t be serious!” Larma protests from besides Lady Ventress. “She’s your family!”

“She’s no family of mine.” Lady Ventress sneers as she watches Unkar ride off out of sight.

~*~

It is the day of the Prince’s wedding. The cathedral is packed with rows and rows of people, both of the royal court and not, all dressed in their finest attire. The King and Queen sit in high backed golden chairs at the front of the church on a raised alter. The priest, an ancient fellow by the name of San Tekka stands between them. Luke, having trimmed his beard and hair, is nearly unrecognizable as he stands in a white and gold doublet at the Queen’s side. There are tall red candles lit atop the golden pillars that hold them on either side of the alter. The wax that drips resembles tears of blood.

Ben looks away from the candles as he stands at the bottom of the alter steps, arms crossed behind his back. He catches his Uncles stare and he hastily looks away. He now looks down at his attire and he grimaces at the all the white. He hates his clothes. He hates this day. He hates everything.

The door to the church opens and the audience cranes their neck to see who has entered. Two men are walking down the aisle of the church. The first one is frail and wearing the traditional oriental garb of the Hays Minor Empire and a rounded silk hat. The other man has bright orange hair and wears a slightly less traditional version of the older man’s outfit.

The men approach Ben and they both bow. The younger man steps forward and clears his throat. “You’re majesties.” He says, directed at Han and Leia. “Your highness.” He says to Ben next. “May I present to you the esteemed Emperor Tico of the Hays Minor Empire. My name is Armitage Hux, his Emperor’s translator.”

‘A translator?’ Ben thinks. Oh Gods, his new wife doesn’t even speak basic. What was his mother thinking when she picked her???

“The Emperor thanks you for the offer of the Prince’s hand in marriage to his youngest daughter.” Armitage swallows thickly and lightly fidgets. “The Emperor accepts the offer with much gratitude and looks forward to a virtuous future with the Kingdom of Naboo.” Armitage steps back and bows his head.

“Thank you Armitage.” Leia says, nodding her head at him. “Thank you Emperor Tico. May both our kingdoms be blessed.”

The Emperor mutters something to Leia in his native language, bowing low once more. Ben flinches as the church organ begins to play and the church doors open once more. Three women enter this time. They’re all dressed in red kimonos with their black hair done up in sleek buns. His bride is singled out by the long sheer veil she wears that covers her face. The eldest of the women, the brides mother, escorts her daughter down the aisle. The other woman trails behind the bride slowly, clutching the golden box that holds the wedding rings.

As the women get closer, Ben realizes that his bride is short. _Very_ short. Nearly a foot and half shorter than him. Again - what was his mother thinking??? Not only was she short, it soon became obvious that his bride was audibly blubbering from beneath her veil. He can see her mothers mouth move rapidly as they approach, no doubt trying to quiet her cries. The women bow once they’ve reached him at the front of the alter. His bride hiccups with sobs. The Emperor and his wife step forward and Emperor Tico introduces Ben to his bride in their foreign tongue.

Armitage Hux steps forward as the Emperor and his wife step back. “Emperor Tico and his wife present to you, Empress Rose of the Hays Minor Empire - your chosen bride.”

Rose wails following Armitage’s introduction of her. Ben tries to hide his grimace. San Tekka clears his throat and gives Ben a pointed look, indicating it is his time to ascend with his bride up the steps to the alter.

Ben holds out his arm to Rose and her trembling tiny hand rests on it and they begin to walk up the steps together. Rose sniffles and coughs the entire way. Once they’ve reached the alter, Ben is instructed to lift Rose’s veil. He gingerly does so and he is met with a pair of the saddest brown almond shaped eyes, framed by a delicately rounded face. San Tekka begins to drone on, speaking the words of the church.

“P..P…Please…” Rose whispers through her cries to him. “I don’t want to do this.” She begs of him.

He is pleasantly surprised she speaks basic. He breaths a small laugh. “That makes two of us.” He tells her as he holds out his palms to her and she timidly places her hands in his.

Rose hangs her head as she tries to calm herself. Ben watches her as she takes minute glances out into the crowd every so often as San Tekka speaks. Her family watches them stone faced from their front row pews. Armitage looks as if he might be sick or pass out.

Ben feels sympathy for the man for a moment. The man looks how he feels inside. He feels awful. This isn’t what he wanted. This isn’t his choice of bride. This is wrong. He fought for the chance to marry for love and here he was, marrying a stranger. What does that say about him as a person? As the future King? What would become of the academy? He would be supporting a cause inspired by the woman whom he left in tattered silks in front of the royal court. If a King supports equality for all, how could he belittle those who had no control of what station they were born into or who their family was?

Rose turns her head to the side again to look into the crowd. Ben follows her line of sight to Armitage, his head low and shoulders slumped. They rise and fall in a visibly defeated sigh. Ben squeezes’ Rose’s hands and she looks up at him, blinking her tears away.

“Go to him.” He whispers to her and he let’s go of her hands.

He steps back as Rose hurries down the stairs as fast as her dress will allow. She nearly trips and falls, but Armitage rushes forward to catch her. Rose clings to him and cries, this time from happiness. She grabs his face and pulls him down for a kiss. The Emperor leaps to his feet and begins to yell what Ben could only assume is obscenities as he shakes his fist at Armitage and Rose. He gestures wildly up at the alter where the King and Queen sit, amused. Han is looking exceptionally entertained and Leia is wearing another of her all knowing smiles.

“This is going better than I thought!” Han says to his wife.

Ben turns to his parents and the priest. “Can we pick this up again at a later time? I’ve urgent business to attend.” He says to them.

“Go get her, son.” Leia replies with a grin.

~*~

Ben rides to the Palpatine Estate as quickly as he can. He dismounts Kylo and runs up to the door, banging on it rapidly.

“Lady Rey?” He calls through the door. “Please open up! It’s me!”

The door opens and Ben looks down at the tiny wrinkled woman who glares up at him with her hands on her hips. “Well!” Maz snaps. “It’s about time you showed up!” She says to him.

“I’ve come for Lady Rey. Where is she?” He asks breathlessly.

“She’s been sold.” Merrin says, stepping out from behind the door.

Ben stares at her in shock. “Sold? To whom?” He demands angrily, fists at his sides.

“To Unkar Plutt, your highness. He retrieved her the morning after the masquerade.”

Ben looks over his shoulder at Kylo where he is grazing, resting from their hard ride over here. He turns back to the women in the doorway.

“May I borrow your horse again?”


	8. Chapter 8

~*~

In a cold stone cottage at the edge of town, Unkar Plutt sits at the head of a wooden dining table. He pounds both his fists on the top of the table. “Where is my lunch?” He barks.

A door opens and Rey shuffles in carrying a pewter platter filled with food and a mug of ale. There is a noticeable clank and a drag of metal on the ground as she walks. Unkar has fastened shackles for a prisoner around her ankles because that is what she is to him. Not his servant, his prisoner.

Unkar clicks his fat tongue in disapproval as Rey sulks towards him. “Oh, how I hate to see you in irons.” He sighs. “I’d be a kind master and remove them, but you’d just try to run away again.”

Rey sets his lunch tray down with a scowl, not caring that some of the ale splashes over the rim of the mug.

“Come now and give me a smile. You’re so much prettier when you smile.” He tells her as he reaches for his ale.

“I will offer you no such liberties.” She tells him.

Unkar narrows his beady eyes at her. “You belong to me now, girl. You will do as I say!”

“I belong to no one, least of all you!” Rey snaps

“Perhaps you should reconsider.” Unkar grumbles. He sighs and leans back in his chair and rubs his disgusting belly. “I had a magnificent horse once. Very stubborn, quite like yourself, and willful to a fault. It too needed to be broken in.”

Unkar stands up from his seat and circles around Rey to stand behind her, inching himself closer.

“Maintain your distance, heathen.” Rey growls. 

Unkar continues to move in. “You didn’t say please.” He says, his nasty breath hot on her neck. 

Rey snatches up the ale and splashes it in Unkar’s face. He stumbles backwards against the wall, temporarily unable to see. Rey grabs the knife off the platter and holds it up to his throat, digging the point in.

“I can have you hanged for this!” Unkar Plutt splutters, ale dripping down his fat, pink face. He swallows nervously as he eyes the knife below his first chin.

“You can’t have me hanged if you’re dead.” Rey threatens. She digs the knife in closer and a drop of blood trickles from the tip. “Give me the key to the shackles… Now.” She demands.

Unkar grunts as he pushes himself off of the wall, lunging at Rey. She ducks out of his way and swings the knife down. Unkar cries out an awful blood curdling scream as one of his fat hands is impaled into the wood of the dining table by the knife.

“Perhaps you should reconsider,” Rey sassily responds to Unkar as his blood begins to drip onto the floor.

Unkar shakily reaches with his free hand into his shirt pocket and produces a key. “Your freedom, my lady.”

~*~

Rey rushes out of Plutt’s house, having left the man to pull the knife out of his hand on his own. She tilts her head up to the sky and sighs, the sunshine warm and comforting on her face. She is free. Truly free. She escaped Plutt and her awful stepmother. She is herself again. She is simply -

“Lady Rey!”

Rey looks to her right, startled. It is the Prince, riding up to her on Jacque. He pulls the horse to a stop and jumps off, running right up to her. Rey takes a deep breath.

“Your highness.” She says, gently bowing her head to him. “What are you doing here?”

“I uh… I came to rescue you.” He says, looking around confused. 

“Rescue me? A commoner?” Rey asks sarcastically. She begins to walk the path away from Plutt’s home.

“Yes.” Ben replies. “Though it does not seem like you need any rescuing.”

“Yes, well, I am perfectly capable of handling things myself.” She sniffs.

“I can see that.” Ben says, hurrying to step in front of her

“Well if that is all, your highness, I must be going. It’s quite a long walk back to town.” She side steps him and keeps walking. “Besides, shouldn’t you be getting married today?”

Ben chases after her. “I came to beg for your forgiveness.” He declares to her retreating back. “I was ready to offer you the world and at the first test of honor I betrayed your trust. I’m sorry, Mireille. I was a fool.”

Rey stops and turns to him. “What did you just say?” 

“That I’m sorry. That I was a fool.” Ben repeats.

“You called me Mireille.”

Ben blinks. “Well, that is who you truly are.” He says with a small shrug of his shoulder. He looks down as he briefly fiddles with his doublet, pulling the blue butterfly mask from his pocket before holding it out to her. “I believe this belongs to you.” He says.

Rey gingerly reaches out and takes the mask, running her fingers over it gently. “This belonged to servant that pretended to be a courtier to save an old man’s life. It does not belong to me.” She answers sadly.

“I don’t care if you’re a servant or a lady or even a Palpatine. I love you Mireille. You are my match in everything, my sunlight in the dark. Please tell me you feel the same and accept the mask as a symbol of my feelings for you.” Ben goes down on one knee in front of her in the gravel path, dirtying his wedding clothes. “I kneel before you not as a Prince but as a man captivated by the beautiful mind of an equally beautiful woman. Make me feel like a true King by accepting my offer of marriage. Mireille, will you be my wife?”

Rey stares down at Ben, then at the mask, and then back to Ben. “It’s Rey.” She says. “My name is Rey. And of course I’ll be your wife.”

Ben stands as Rey throws herself into his arms. They both laugh and cry together, embracing, kissing and spinning around in pure bliss.

~*~

Having Rey no longer around was quickly taking a toll on the estate.

“Where is our breakfast?” Lady Ventress shouts from the dining room towards the kitchens. “If I have to wait any longer you might as well call it our dinner!”

Larma scurries into the dining room with a tray of haphazardly plated food. “I’m sorry, my lady. I had to gather the eggs myself this morning. You know, with Miss Rey gone and all.”

“Never speak that name in my presence again, understood?” Lady Ventress snaps at Larma.

“Yes, my lady. Apologies, my lady.” Larma says, holding back her tears.

There is a strict knock at the front door and Lady Ventress slaps her hand on the table in annoyance. “For Gods sake, what now? Merrin, go get the door.”

“Get it yourself, mother.” Merrin sasses. “I may be your least favorite daughter but that doesn’t mean that you can turn me into your new servant.”

Lady Ventress gasps at her daughters defiance. “Ooooh, just you wait!” Lady Ventress growls, shaking at finger at Merrin. “I’ll take care of you after this!” She says.

Lady Ventress opens the door and her demeanor immediately changes. “Well hello Captain!” She says, patting at her hair. “What a pleasant surprise! What can I do for you today?”

“Good morning.” Poe Dameron says, bowing to her. He rises with a stern look on his face. “I’m here at the request of the Queen and King of Naboo. Your presence is required at the palace, immediately.”

Ilyana is behind her mother in a flash. “The palace you say?” She asks. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with the Prince’s cancelled wedding yesterday, now would it?” She asks, fluttering her eyelashes at Poe.

Poe frowns at Ilyana. “They did not say.” The Captain tells them. “But they did request that you arrive in style.”

~*~

Charles steers the carriage to the front of the palace gates, escorted by the royal guards. Lady Ventress is first to exit the carriage, Ilyana next, and Merrin bringing up the rear.

“This way, ladies.” Poe instructs as the women follow him up the massive stone steps of the palace. “Quickly now.”

Two guards at the top of the steps pull open the massive double doors that lead into a grand white and gold marble throne room. The Queen is seated on an impressive golden throne, her hands folded neatly in her lap. The King sits beside her on a smaller throne, his chin on his fist, an elbow resting nonchalantly on the armrest.

“Your majesty, the Lady Ventress and her daughters.” Poe announces to the Queen, bowing lowly.

Lady Ventress and her daughters curtsy all the way down to the floor in front of the Queen. Lady Ventress rises first.

“Your majesty, this is such an honor. To be invited here to the palace, I-”

Leia holds up her hand and Lady Ventress stops talking. “Lady Ventress. Did you, or did you not, lie to his highness Prince Benjamin Organa Solo of Naboo?”

Lady Ventress’ mouth falls open in surprise.

“Choose your words wisely, your ladyship.” The Queen warns. “For they could be your last.”

Lady Ventress nervously laughs and smiles. “A mother would do anything for the love of their child, your majesty. Wouldn’t you agree? You’re also a mother!”

Leia stares down Lady Ventress.

“Perhaps… I did get a tad carried away.” Lady Ventress quietly admits.

“Mother!” Ilyana gasps, pretending to be appalled by her mother’s behavior. “How could you lie to his highness? Your majesty, I am just a victim here, same as you, and I am ashamed to call her family.”

“How dare you turn on me!” Lady Ventress snaps at Ilyana, making a spectacle of herself. “You little ingrate!”

“See what I have to put up with?” Ilyana complains to the Queen.

“Silence!” Leia demands. She turns to Merrin, who remains quiet where she stands at her mother’s left. “Are they always like this?” The Queen asks her.

“Always, your majesty.” Merrin politely replies. Lady Ventress and Ilyana look over and glare at Merrin.

The Queen clears her throat. “Lady Ventress, I hereby strip you of your title and you and your horrible daughter are to be shipped overseas on the first boat out of port.”

“All because of one tiny, measly, little lie?” Lady Ventress protests while Ilyana has begun to wail.

“No.” The Queen clarifies. “There is also the matter of you single handedly destroying the coronation gown of my dearly departed mother, the Queen Padme.”

Lady Ventress goes white in the face. “I-I-I…I had no idea, your majesty.” Lady Ventress pleads. “I beg of you, I did not know the dress belonged to her!”

“Now, if no one wishes to speak for you and your eldest, then I’m afraid I will have no choice but to have the guards escort you to the docks.”

“I’ll speak for her.”

Lady Ventress whips around to look behind her.

Rey is entering the throne room on the arm of the Prince. She looks exceptionally regal in a pale blue dress. There is a golden circlet atop her head that bears the insignia of the Naboo royal family.

“Ah! You’re here.” The Queen says.

The guards bow to both Rey and Ben as they approach the Queen and King. Leia gives Lady Ventress a pointed look and Lady Ventress sinks down into a stiff curtsy as Rey passes her by.

“I believe you know my son, the future King of Naboo.” Leia says to Lady Ventress. “And his wife, the future Queen.”

Lady Ventress’ eye twitches and her lips twist into a grimace.

“Your highness, you will speak for this woman?” The Queen addresses Rey.

“Yes, your majesty. After all, she is my stepmother.” Rey steps towards Lady, her head held high. Lady Ventress lip twitches with a suppressed sneer. “I want you to know that I will forget of you after this moment and will never think of you ever again.” Rey pauses thoughtfully. “Though I’m quite certain you will think of _me_ every single day for the rest of your life.”

“And exactly how long is that?” Lady Ventress dares to ask through clenched teeth.

Rey smirks at Lady Ventress and turns to address the Queen. “I ask your majesties to show the former Lady Ventress and her eldest to the same courtesies that they have bestowed upon me.

“Very well then.” The Queen says with a nod of her head.

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Ilyana whispers to her mother.

“Take them to the kitchens!” The Queen speaks loudly to the royal guards.

“What? The kitchens? What is the meaning of this?” Lady Ventress protests as the royal guards begin to usher her and Ilyana from the room.

“Why, hard labor of course!” Poe Dameron tells Lady Ventress with a wicked grin.

Merrin watches as the doors shut after her mother and sister.

“Merrin.” Rey says gently to her other stepsister.

“Yes, your highness?” Merrin squeaks, dipping into another curtsy.

“You were the only sister to have shown me any kindness. It would make me very happy if you would continue to care for the Palpatine estate in my absence.” Rey tells her. “I will make sure to supply the funds so that the estate can be brought back to it’s former glory. Will you accept this request?”

“Ye-yes! Yes, your highness!” Merrin agrees immediately. Merrin is then handed a large bag of gold credits and escorted from the throne room.

“Anything else?” Leia asks.

“Yes.” Ben speaks up. “Fire that messenger. The scrawny one.”

“Mitaka?” Leia asks.

“Yes. That’s the one.” Rey says. “He was feeding palace information to Lady Ventress.” 

“Done.” The Queen says.

“Never liked that guy.” Han adds.

Leia stands from her throne. “Now that’s all over, I say we partake in a belated wedding feast. Shall we?”

“Hear! Hear!”

~*~

The Prince and his Princess spend their honeymoon at Varykino - the summer home of the royal family, built off the shores of the Naboo lake country. They stand side by side along a balcony as they watch the sun set over crystal blue waters. Ben presses a kiss lovingly to the top of Rey’s head and she leans into his shoulder.

“This is all so wonderful.” Rey tells him.

“What‘s wonderful, my love?” Ben asks her.

“Everything!” Rey says. She gestures out at the water. “The palaces! The clothes! The food! Even all the people calling me ‘your highness’! I just can’t get over it. It’s mind boggling!”

Ben laughs. “You’ll get used to it. You’re officially royalty now.” He explains.

“Officially?” Rey replies with a frown. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Well, you’ve always been royal to me.” Ben tells her.

Rey blushes. “Even when I was nothing but a lowly servant girl?”

“Even then.” Ben tells her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. “I fell in love with you the day you hit me with that apple. 

“Mmm… That certainly is a day to remember.” Rey muses. “I shall never forget it.”

“Never?” Ben asks, quirking an eyebrow.

“Of course!” Rey says, playfully leaning into her husband. She smiles at him, reaching up to caress his cheek with her hand. “As long as I love you, I will always treasure our first meeting. Forever and always.”

Ben returns her smile. “Forever and always.”

THE END


End file.
